


Just the Facts

by sociallyawkwardpenguin



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-07
Updated: 2013-02-19
Packaged: 2017-11-23 23:51:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 91,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sociallyawkwardpenguin/pseuds/sociallyawkwardpenguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane continues to chase after Casey and refuses to see things for what they really are. Maura tries to show Jane the facts, but Jane chases her off and breaks her heart. A long, angsty journey across two continents. Will Jane be able to find Maura and bring her home? Grab your passport and follow along, it's going to be a long, wild ride! Rated M for later chapters. Set after 3.14.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a few weeks coming, but it's time for another multi-chapter fic. This fic takes place after 3.14 and assumes that 3.15 (the season finale) didn't take place. Jane is hell bent on chasing after Casey, regardless of what it does to Maura. We're in for an angst-filled ride across two continents. It's a long time in coming, in this fic, but there is eventual Rizzles and eventual fluff. Be patient, it's a long story, and enjoy the ride. :)
> 
> As always, Rizzoli and Isles and their related characters are the property of TNT, Tess Gerritsen and Janet Tamaro. I own nothing, make no claim to ownership and do not profit from this story in any way (except for getting to make the characters do what they'll never do on the show, which brings me immense enjoyment).

**Just the Facts  
Chapter 1**

As Jane approached her building, she noticed Maura sitting there primly, resisting the urge to pull her jacket more tightly around her against the late evening chill as she waited for Jane to make her way home. Jane felt her heart flutter at seeing Maura there, and when Maura met her glance, she felt a tingle shoot down her spine. Jane pushed the emotion away, unwilling to think about what it meant.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised that Maura didn't just let herself into the apartment with the key she'd given her years ago. Jane disliked conversations on the front steps to her building. They always led to the other person walking out of her life, and she couldn't bear the idea of Maura ever leaving her.

"I know you wanted me to pretend that everything will be fine." Maura said, unable to mask the worry she wore on her face as Jane sat down next to her.

Jane looked over at her, trying to read where the worry is coming from. "What's that?" She asked, tapping the folder on Maura's lap.

"Some... research I did on... decompressive lumbar spine surgery." Maura chose her words carefully, trying her best to break the news without breaking Jane. It hurt her to see Jane like this, but it hurt her even more to see Jane pining away over a man that repeatedly ran away from her. It hurt her to think that Jane would never cry for her the same way she had been crying over Casey, but she realized that wasn't the purpose of this visit.

"I don't wanna know." Jane's answer brought her attention back to the task at hand. She couldn't think about herself. This was about Jane. This was about taking the hurt away from Jane so she can get on with her life. So they could be LLBFFs without distraction. So that maybe someday Jane would just open her eyes and see Maura for who she really was in Jane's life.

"Jane, you need to know." Maura's voice gave away her exhaustion. It was exhausting trying to keep up this charade, looking for ways to hide her feelings for Jane without outright lying. Looking for ways to keep their relationship from breaking apart because she knew Jane didn't feel the same way about her that she felt about Jane.

"Why? I mean, he said goodbye, Maura, so..." Jane shrugged, trying to act tougher than she felt at the moment. She wanted nothing more than to hide the desperation she was feeling, but she knew Maura could see it. She wished she could explain why she was so desperate to Maura, but she feared Maura's rejection of her. She needed Maura.

"Jane, if you care about him, you'll look." Maura said sternly, wishing that maybe Jane would stop caring about him, even if that was a selfish wish.

She looked down at the folder in Maura's lap, suddenly unable to touch it. "How bad is it?

Maura paused, thinking about her reply. "Bad."

Jane nodded her head in understanding, but then shook her head, unable to allow herself to believe this could be happening. "What am I gonna do?" She whispered, her resolve breaking.

"I wish I knew." Maura answered, her own tears ready to spill. She reached over and wrapped an arm around Jane, and leaned her head against Jane's, resisting the urge to kiss her temple. Instead she pulled her in closer and Jane's hands came up to grasp the arms holding her. Jane melted into the hug, Maura's touch enveloping her.

They sat like that for a little while, Maura comforting Jane while Jane cried. Maura pulled Jane as close to her as she dared, not caring who saw them. After a while, Jane stopped crying and looked up. She didn't want to admit to Maura that she could sit that way forever. She was afraid if she waited even a moment longer, she would lose the little control she normally had around Maura. She needed to focus on Casey.

"Let's go inside, Maura. It's late and it's cold, and I don't want to be alone." That got them up and moving, and Jane felt like she could take control of her feelings while they walked up the stairs to Jane's apartment.

Maura nodded and followed Jane inside. She took off her shoes and opened a bottle of wine while Jane took Jo Friday out for a quick walk. She waited for Jane on the couch while Jane walked Jo, and Jane smiled at her when she returned. This was the Maura that she was used to. The Maura that made herself at home because Jane's apartment was as much her home as it was Jane's. Jane couldn't put her finger on why it bothered her so much to see Maura sitting outside on the steps when she came home, but she was relieved when Maura smiled back at her from the couch.

"Here," Maura said, and handed her the glass of wine.

Jane accepted it gratefully and took a long draw off of it, too stressed and too upset to drink it daintily like Maura usually did.

"What am I gonna do, Maura?" Jane asked again, tears threatening to fall once more. Casey was her chance at a normal relationship. Casey understood where she came from, how hard she worked to be who she was. Casey was her distraction from Maura and all the feelings she had for her, but was too afraid to admit to having.

"Jane..." Maura stopped. She had so much she wanted to say to Jane but she didn't know where to begin. She realized that honesty was really the best way to go with this, even if it didn't feel like it was the right time to tell her.

"Jane," Maura started off again, taking a deep breath, her hands spread beseechingly in front of her. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you need to hear it."

Jane looked over at her warily, taken off guard by Maura's sudden tension. This wasn't what she was expecting of Maura, but she didn't know what exactly she should be expecting.

"Maura, please-" Jane started, but Maura interrupted her.

"I know you wanted to pretend that everything was going to be all right, but you have to take into account that Casey is essentially committing suicide by surgery. And if I'm really truthful with you, I have to tell you that I don't like it. I don't like how he comes and goes from your life and leaves you shattered every time he disappears. I want to tell you that if he truly cared for you the way you seem to care for him, that he would have never left you in the first place. He would have never hurt you like he has, over and over again. And the idea of him taking this huge risk and putting his pride before your heart makes him an utter asshole in my book."

"MAURA!" Jane exclaimed, shocked at the admission and the doctor's choice of words. "How could you? How could you say something like that?"

"It's the truth, Jane. I'm sorry for speaking the truth if the truth hurts you."

"But don't you get it, Maura? I love him. I love him and he's going to die." And he's going to leave me with my feelings for you, Jane wanted to add, but couldn't.

"I do get it, Jane. I completely understand that you have feelings for him and he once again has chosen the selfish route and has crushed you. I see you sitting here, hurting, and I think you deserve better than that. Actually, I know you deserve better than that."

"I can't believe you would say that. Casey is a good man! He's just trying to get better!"

"Jane, he disappeared and completely cut you out of his life. And if he loved you even one ounce as much as you love him, he would have spoken to you about all of this before he made his decision. He didn't include you in any of this. He does not see you as a priority. You deserve someone who treats you like you are their priority."

Jane buried her head in her hands and started crying again. Maura didn't understand. She couldn't understand. Jane had no way of explaining it to her.

"I'm sorry Jane, but it's the truth. He walked out on you. He has broken your heart twice now. He doesn't deserve you. You deserve someone that is never going to leave you. Someone that isn't going to hurt you like this. Look at what he has done to you. You are the toughest, strongest person I know, and he has reduced you to this."

"He left me, Maura, but he might still come back." Jane whimpered.

"You had to beg him not to leave, and he left you anyway. Look at the facts, Jane."

"No Maura, you look at the facts!" Suddenly Jane was angry, a reaction Maura knew was likely. Jane didn't like being pushed into a corner, and she would always fight her way back out. "You just don't like him. You've never liked him. I love him, Maura! I love him and he could be the one for me, and you just don't get it!"

"Jane, once again, you're not looking at the facts. He walked out. He left you. He made a selfish decision to have high risk surgery and didn't even have the courage to talk to you about it first. He left you here, worried and upset. Those are the facts, Jane. They are the facts that anyone can see. Not just me."

"Really, Maura? Really? What would you know? You dated a fucking serial killer!" Jane screamed.

"How is that relevant to what Casey has done to you, Jane?" Maura asked calmly.

"It's- it's- OH WHO CARES, MAURA? You've always got to throw logic in my face. If you had one clue about what love was, you'd know that love is not logical. It's emotional. I doesn't follow a set plan and it doesn't have a rulebook. I love him and as my best friend you should be here for me and support me instead of telling me how wrong it is for me to love him!"

"I can't do that, Jane. I can't do those things because I am your best friend. I can't stand by the side and watch him hurt you like this. I can't be supportive of a relationship that I know beyond any shadow of a doubt is wrong for you. I know this hurts you, but I am trying to do the right thing here."

"Yeah, well this doesn't feel right. This feels entirely wrong. So I think you need to change your perspective a bit."

"Facts are facts, Jane. Whether you choose to see them for what they are is up to you. I can't force you. Just remember that he walked out on you. He made a selfish decision without your input, and he doesn't seem to care that he hurt you when he made that decision. There are people out there that wouldn't do that to you. There are people out there that love you and would never hurt you the way he has. There are people out there who want nothing more than to see you happy and would do anything to make sure you stay happy."

"Yeah, right Maura. Everyone I've ever loved or had the chance to love has walked out on me. How's that for a fact? So why can't I start chasing after them when they leave? What am I going to do, sit here and wish for them to come back? Why is it wrong for me to go after what I want?"

"Because the right person doesn't walk out to begin with. The right person stays with you even when you refuse to see things for what they are."

"That's ridiculous. You're ridiculous. If I didn't know better I would say you're jealous of Casey."

Jane did have a point, to some degree. Maura was almost willing to concede the point when another thought occurred to her. "You know what's ridiculous? Big, bad Detective Rizzoli groveling over a man. That's ridiculous. Best friends are supposed to point out to one another when they're making a life-changing mistake. Chasing after Casey and having your heart broken over and over again is one of those mistakes. I'm trying to save you more heartache, Jane."

"Yeah, well you're doing a shitty job of it, Maura."

Maura sighed. "Please. You're upset. You're not thinking straight. You must realize that I'm only trying to help you, don't you?"

"Maura, I don't know what you're trying to do, but I don't like it and I wish you would just stop."

"Stop what, Jane? Stop sugarcoating the truth so that when you do finally see the facts for what they are, they can't hurt you even more? Stop trying to be your best friend? What do you want me to stop doing, Jane?" Maura waved her hands out in front of her in exasperation.

This had all become too much for Jane. She needed Maura to understand why she chased after Casey. Why she had invested so much of her life into that man, even when she knew he hadn't made the same investment in her. Maura had backed her into a corner with her reason and her logic, and Jane was scared. Jane Rizzoli didn't like being scared, didn't like the depth of these feelings, and didn't want Maura to know just how far Jane would go to keep her feelings for her best friend buried. She reached her breaking point and before she knew it, she was giving Maura an ultimatum she never imagined she would ever give her.

"Actually, right now I think that's a great idea. If you being my best friend is going to cause me this type of misery, then I don't want you to be my best friend anymore. If you can't be supportive of me then I think you should leave."

Shocked, Maura stood rooted to the spot and speechless.

"Did you hear me? I said get out!" Jane screamed. Jane let the anger consume her, because the anger was safer and easier than the rest of the feelings that were vying for their place in Jane's psyche.

Jane's voice echoed off of the walls and ceiling, and it finally jolted Maura out of her shellshock. Maura left the folder she brought with her on the coffee table and slipped on her heels. She grabbed her jacket off the back of the couch and walked to the door with her head down.

She paused with the door open just enough for her to slip through it, and looked back at Jane. "I know you don't mean that. I know you'll look at the facts, Jane and you'll come to your senses. And I hope you'll realize that I didn't walk out on you. You asked me to leave. If you'd given me half a chance, I would have proven to you that I am always here for you, but you just don't want to hear it."

"JUST GET OUT, MAURA!" Jane screamed, her voice hitching at the end and the tears starting to fall despite her anger.

Maura looked away from Jane and walked out, closing the door softly behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane continues to chase after Casey and refuses to see things for what they really are. Maura tries to show Jane the facts, but Jane chases her off and breaks her heart. A long, angsty journey across two continents. Will Jane be able to find Maura and bring her home? Grab your passport and follow along, it's going to be a long, wild ride! Rated M for later chapters. Set after 3.14.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow, so Jane really has it bad for Casey, or does she? And poor Maura. She loves Jane so much, but was she wrong to point out what a jerk Casey was? A lot of you are calling Jane on her sh*t, and you've got every right to. Just be prepared- she gets worse before she gets better. After all, it's going to take a lot to drive Maura away from the woman she so clearly loves. That and it's the only way I can make Jane's infatuation with Casey even remotely believable, because I honestly think she has more chemistry with the extras on the show than she does with Casey. :)

 

  
**Just the Facts**   
**Chapter 2**   


* * *

**  
**

Maura sat in her car for a while, willing herself to calm down enough to drive home. She knew that she was risking angering Jane when she went over there with her folder full of facts, but she never expected this. Surely Jane couldn't mean half of what she had said. Surely she said it in anger and confusion, and tomorrow they would talk it out calmly. Or better yet, maybe she should go back there and demand that Jane let her back in and they could work it out tonight. They had to work this out, even if it meant that Jane would spend her days mourning Casey and oblivious to Maura's feelings. Maura could not lose Jane. She needed her, and she would take her in any capacity- friend, lover or colleague- as long as it meant she could see her every day.

She also realized that Jane was in no mood to hear anything more that Maura had to say tonight. Going back up to her apartment and demanding to be let in was only going to result in Maura being sent away, dejected and embarrassed. They both needed time to cool off. Jane could be incredibly stubborn, and Maura knew if she gave Jane space tonight, it would hopefully give Jane the time she needed to think things through. No, going back up to Jane's apartment was a bad idea and she wasn't going to try it. Not tonight, anyway. Tomorrow was another day, and they could work things out then.

It was all Maura could hope for as she finally turned the key in her ignition and drove away.

When she got home, she was glad that Angela wasn't in the house waiting for her. She didn't know what she was going to do about Angela. She loved Angela, but after her last fight with Jane, Angela had left and she had truly been all alone. The idea of returning to that isolation scared her, but she knew that if Jane insisted, Angela would leave again. Instead, she clung to the hope that by tomorrow everything would work itself out. She would look for Jane at the precinct in the morning and she would try to smooth things over with her. She couldn't bear the idea of another fight with Jane, not after what had happened in the burned out warehouse with Paddy Doyle.

She hung her jacket up in the front hall closet and walked to her bedroom, taking off her shoes and pulling her pajamas out of the closet. She dressed for bed and went through her nightly routine, but she was too agitated to sleep. She decided some hot tea and some meditation would help to calm her and she walked back to the kitchen.

A short while later she had her tea brewed and was sipping it as she sat on the couch. Usually the blend of chamomile, lemongrass and lavender worked wonders to soothe her nerves and relax her enough to fall asleep, but tonight it wasn't working at all. In fact, the longer Maura sat there, the more upset she became. She kept asking herself the same questions over and over again.

Could Jane really be that blind? How did she not see what Casey was doing to her? Did she truly not understand that she didn't mean the same to Casey that Casey meant to her?

And why couldn't Jane see how much she meant to Maura? Maura had always been all the things Jane was looking for, but she still chased after Casey. That hurt a lot more than Maura cared to admit. It hurt more than Jane's obliviousness to Casey's obvious disrespect for her. The more Maura thought about it, the more she realized that her hurt wasn't so much from seeing Jane get hurt. Her hurt stemmed from Jane's treatment and the way she knew, without having to ask, that Jane didn't feel the same way about her that she felt about Jane. She felt guilty for being so selfish, and that agitated her even more.

She sat down on the floor next to the couch and crossed her legs, assuming her favorite meditation pose. She closed her eyes and tried to force herself to relax. She lasted all of thirty seconds before she realized that any attempt at calming her mind tonight was not going to be fruitful. All of her thoughts instantly returned to Jane, and instead of Jane's usual calming presence in her mind, tonight all she could think about was losing her.

Maura sighed and placed her empty mug in the sink. She was too depressed to think about rinsing it out. Instead she walked back upstairs to her bedroom and crawled under the blankets. She laid there awake, watching each individual minute tick by on her clock until the alarm went off at five o'clock the next morning.

Jane had stood at the window, watching Maura cry in her car for close to an hour before watching her pull away. Jane had never been so angry with Maura before. For a few minutes as she stood there watching, she was tempted to go down to Maura's car, sit in the passenger seat with her and tell her that she overreacted, and she was sorry for getting so angry. She wanted to pull Maura toward her and let her know that she reacted the way she did because she was so confused by these feelings that she had for her and wanted nothing more than to bury them so they could continue to be the friends they always had been. She wanted to explain to Maura how scared she was of losing her, and that's why she lashed out. Jane laughed bitterly at the idea. Maura wasn't interested in her, she had made that clear many times in the past. Admitting to having feelings for her would end their friendship just as quickly as this argument just had. It was better to be angry, to stew in that anger so she could avoid Maura for now and concentrate on Casey.

The more Jane thought about it, the more she knew she was right to be angry. Maura had overstepped her bounds. What did Maura know about her relationship with Casey? Who did Maura think she was, telling her who was right for her? And what was with her and the 'look at the facts' nonsense? What the hell did she mean by that anyway? The fact of the matter was that Jane had feelings for her female best friend. That female best friend did not feel the same way about her. Casey presented an out for Jane, a way for her to concentrate her efforts on someone other than Maura. Casey was the only way Jane was ever going to get over this thing with Maura, and she simply could not lose him. Those were the facts.

After Maura pulled away, Jane walked into her bathroom and took out the Xanax the department shrink had prescribed for her after her last run-in with Charles Hoyt. She looked at the label. They were expired by more than a year. She had never taken one after that incident, and she wondered why she suddenly thought she needed one now.

Tossing the expired pills into the bathroom trash can, Jane walked back into the hall and stood there. She was too wound up to go to bed, but too exhausted by the day's events to stay up. She looked longingly toward her bed, and decided even if she was awake all night, she would be better off in bed than on the couch. She tossed her clothes off and didn't bother with pajamas. Instead she crawled into bed, under the sheets, and lay looking up at the ceiling and crying occasionally. She didn't even know whether she was crying over Casey or crying over Maura. Maybe she just felt sorry for herself. She was allowed that, wasn't she?

One thing was for certain. Jane's feelings for Maura were dangerous, and she had to find a way to rid herself of them. Maura was her best friend and nothing more, and she could not allow herself to be deluded into wishing for anything else.

At some point she fell into a fitful sleep and woke up startled by the alarm at six o'clock the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Look for chapter 3 in the next few days. :) I'd love to hear your thoughts on Jane, and what Maura is going through.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane continues to chase after Casey and refuses to see things for what they really are. Maura tries to show Jane the facts, but Jane chases her off and breaks her heart. A long, angsty journey across two continents. Will Jane be able to find Maura and bring her home? Grab your passport and follow along, it's going to be a long, wild ride! Rated M for later chapters. Set after 3.14.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jane continues to deny, deny, deny her feelings in this chapter. Maura continues to try and be Jane's friend, but Jane's not having any of it. In steps Angela for a little comfort. I warned you in the beginning that there was angst, right? Stay tuned, the Rizzles a still a ways off, but I promise, they do make an appearance in this story! :)
> 
> Looks like it's time for more Angry!Jane and a little bit of Loving!Angela.
> 
> Oh, and this should have gone on the first chapter, but it's good to put it here too: a special thanks to RizzyandIzzy for all of the encouragement and support and to crankylex for reading this entire story in one night for me. Much love to you both. :)

 

 

  
**Just the Facts**   
**Chapter 3**

 

Maura got up the next morning and got ready for work, trying as best as she could to keep her routine intact. She found comfort in the regularity of her morning yoga and the warm shower she took afterward helped to loosen the tension she couldn’t work out through her yoga routine. She was exhausted and not thinking clearly, but she knew she had to go to work today. It was likely the only chance she was going to get to see Jane, and she wanted more than anything to make things right between them.

She pulled a simple pair of slacks and a lightweight sweater out of the closet, not really caring what she wore to work that day. She pulled her hair back into a simple ponytail and decided to skip makeup altogether. She glanced at her face and realized that no amount of makeup was going to hide the darkness on her jugo nasal folds. It didn’t make much difference to her today, how she looked. She had one goal in mind and that was to make things better between Jane and herself.

Maura arrived at the precinct early, foregoing the cafe and heading directly down to her office. She was exhausted, and the idea of having to socialize with anyone was too much for her. She didn’t look into the cafe and didn’t see Angela’s concerned glance as she headed right for the bank of elevators. She sighed in relief when the elevator doors opened and no one was in the car to join her for the ride down to the morgue.

The morgue itself was quiet at this time of the day. The lab techs wouldn’t be in for another hour or so, and as there had been no calls during the night, there were currently no bodies waiting to be autopsied. Maura figured she would have an hour or so before the first of the bodies came in; people that had perished in hospitals or nursing homes during the night that required an autopsy but not a homicide investigation.

Maura sat at her desk and began sorting out emails, printing out various lab results and adding them to file folders. The tasks were mundane and could have been handed off to any of her staff, but Maura took comfort in the simplicity of the activity. After a while, she chanced a glance at the clock on her computer and realized that Jane would probably be in by now. She picked up the three files that had results to be delivered to the homicide unit and decided now was as good a time as any to try and see Jane.

 

 

 

~*~

 

Jane had walked into the precinct much the same way Maura had. She had picked up coffee at a cafe on her way in and bypassed the precinct's cafe. She didn’t need her mother’s prying questions. She loved her mother, but the developments with Casey and Maura were too new and too raw for her to discuss rationally with her mother. Her mother would ply her with pancakes and coffee, and encourage her to go see Maura and Casey and make things right with both of them, believing Casey was the knight in shining armor she had made him out to be. Right now Jane’s stomach couldn’t handle the idea of food, or the idea that if she made things right with Casey, she probably would never be able to make things right with Maura, or vice versa. Instead she walked over to the elevator bank and pounded her fist against the up button. No. Today Jane Rizzoli was going to concentrate on being furious, because being furious kept her from feeling anything else, and anything else Jane could possibly feel today was far too dangerous for her well being.

She arrived upstairs and was surprised to see that both Frost and Korsak were not at their desks. She looked at her watch and realized that by skipping the cafe, she’s arrived at work nearly an hour earlier than she was normally there. She would likely have to explain her early arrival to them both, and she started to think up reasons for her lack of appetite and her appearance that would appease her male colleagues with a minimum of ribbing.

Jane started shifting papers around on her desk, almost wishing for a homicide to come in. She realized though that if she had to go out on a call to see a body, that Maura would have to go too, and Maura was the last person she wanted to see today.

Unfortunately for Jane, Maura was the next person to walk into the bullpen. Jane watched her walk in, her stride less determined than normal. Jane could see the circles under Maura’s bloodshot eyes, and she knew that Maura had spent the night awake and crying. Jane was so angry with Maura that she took a modicum of satisfaction on the thought.

“Jane, these are the lab results on the Whitman, Sarbowski and Kittinger cases.” Maura said, handing the files over to Jane.

Jane made no move to take the files from Maura, so Maura placed them on Jane’s desk where she knew Jane usually kept them piled.

“Anything else, Doctor?” Jane asked coldly.

“Ah, yes, actually. I was hoping to talk to you. In private, preferably.” Maura said quietly.

“Yeah, no. I don’t think so. I don’t have anything left to say.” Jane responded, keeping her face as blank as possible.

“Please Jane, there’s so much left to be said. I would really like to speak to you. If not now, maybe later today?” Maura pleaded.

“I don’t have the time.” Jane spat out, and turned in her chair to pick up the folders Maura had placed on the desk for her.

“Jane, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to fight with you. At least listen to what I have to say!” Maura said, somewhat louder than she had intended. The shrillness in her voice had caught the attention of Frost and Korsak as they walked in, but they stayed back far enough to be out of view to both women.

“You said everything you had to say last night, Maura. There’s nothing left to talk about.” Jane said icily, waving a hand in dismissal of Maura.

Jane heard Maura’s breath hitch and the slow click of Maura’s heels and she walked out of the bullpen.

“Morning, Doctor Isles?” Frost said, trying to get Maura to stop and so he could see what was wrong with her. Maura just gave a half-hearted wave and kept walking.

Maura spent the rest of the day down in the morgue, leaving the crime lab to do their work. She had one autopsy to do, and she lost herself in the science of it all. She let her mind wander over the mystery surrounding the death of the man on her slab, and produced a clear, concise report for the hospital that had sent him to her. Maybe she couldn’t find any comfort in anything at the moment, but at least she could put the minds of the man’s family at ease with her report.

Promptly at six o’clock she shut down her computer and picked up her purse. She waved goodbye to the few techs still in the lab and walked out to the parking garage. She had just opened the door to her car when she heard Jane’s distinctive voice somewhere behind her, apparently talking on her cell phone.

“Casey, please. Please!” She begged. “I’m not saying to not have the surgery. I’m asking you to put it off so we can talk about it first. That’s all.”

There was silence from Jane as she listened to Casey’s reply. Apparently she didn’t like what he had to say, because her response to him was even more desperate.

“Then at least tell me what hospital is doing the surgery so I can be there with you. Please Casey! Casey? Casey! Oh c’mon!” Jane screamed, realizing that Casey had hung up on her without giving her the answers she needed. Jane’s shoulders started shaking involuntarily and before long she was weeping.

Maura was stuck standing next to her car, trying to figure out a way to run over and comfort Jane without Jane sending her away. Jane turned at that moment and saw Maura standing there, and Maura opened her mouth to say something- anything- to comfort her, but Jane held a finger up, silencing her angrily.

“Don’t even, Maura. I don’t want to hear it!”

Maura nodded and finished getting into her car, her heart breaking for Jane despite her own broken heart. Things were worse than she thought, and she didn’t know how to fix any of it. Jane clearly thought she was going to admonish her for begging Casey, but all she wanted to do was offer her a shoulder to cry on. Jane didn’t understand or simply didn’t want to see that, and Maura cringed at the severity of the problem. She needed to get home and figure out how to fix this situation, because it was quickly proving untenable.

The last thing Jane saw when she bothered to look up again was the red glow of Maura’s taillights as she turned the corner to exit the parking garage. At least Maura hadn’t gotten the “I told you so” out of her mouth. She was glad to put a stop to that before it even started.

 

 

~*~

 

Maura arrived home to find Angela waiting for her in her kitchen, adding the finishing touches to a delicious meal.

“I missed you in the cafe today.” Angela said as a greeting. “And I know you didn’t pack a lunch today because the frozen lunches I made for you are all still in the freezer. You must be hungry. Sit.”

Maura knew there was no deceiving Angela, and it would be better to just get this over with. The longer she avoided this conversation, the worse it would be in the end. Angela was a shrewd woman, and Maura realized that by avoiding her today, she had told Angela something was wrong without ever saying a word. She didn’t give Angela nearly enough credit. She didn’t know how to reply to Angela, but Angela continued speaking before she could come up with a reply.

“Janie also didn’t stop in the cafe this morning, so I am assuming that something went on with the two of you.” Angela looked at Maura pointedly, but there was no anger or reprimand in her voice.

Maura paused, looking for the best way to tell Angela what was going on without giving away too much information. Jane already had nothing but disdain for her. She didn’t know how she could keep Jane’s issues with Casey private like Jane would have wanted to avoid angering her even further.

Angela saw Maura hesitate. “Spill it, Maura.”

“Angela, this is a conversation that you are better off having with Jane.” Maura said, trying to dodge the situation entirely.

Angela put a bowl of something- it smelled so good Maura didn’t care what it was- down in front of Maura and Maura stared down at it longingly.

“I didn’t sleep last night, Angela and I’m not really that hungry.”

Maura’s stomach chose that moment to growl, and Angela narrowed her eyes at her.

“Eat. Think of the hives, Maura.”

“What, what is this?” Maura asked as she brought a spoonful up to her mouth, giving in to her hunger and the inevitability of talking to Angela.

“Pasta fagioli. It’s comfort food, Maura.” Angela said simply. “What’s going on?”

“I want to tell you, Angela, I really do. But this is something you need to talk to Jane about.”

“It involves you too, Maura. You wouldn’t be so upset if it didn’t.” Angela replied.

Maura put another spoonful of the food in her mouth, relishing in the warmth while she raced to think of something to say. Her stomach rumbled in appreciation.

“Does this have something to do with Charles?” Angela asked, eyeing Maura carefully.

“It does, Angela. I won’t lie to you. But I can’t tell you more than that. Jane needs to tell you everything. She would be even angrier with me than she is now if I said anything more.”

“You two need to talk this out, Maura. Whatever this is, you need to talk this out. We can’t have another situation with you two fighting for weeks over something silly.”

“I tried to talk to her today, Angela. She told me she had nothing left to say to me.” Maura swiped at a tear on her cheek, ashamed that she was crying yet again. “I tried to make this right but she doesn’t want to listen to me.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Angela said resolutely.

“Thank you, but I don’t think that will make her any more inclined to speak with me. I think in the end she will just be angrier with me for having spoken to you about this at all. I think we both need a little distance from the situation. I tried the direct approach and failed miserably. I think we both need to back off.”

“How do you mean, sweetie?” Angela asked.

Maura sobbed at the term of endearment. She was really going to miss Angela if she left again after speaking to Jane. She didn’t know what she was going to do with herself if she couldn’t resolve this with Jane. The idea of having no contact with her was too much for her to handle.

“Oh sweetie, sweetie, it’s gonna be okay. I promise you, it’s gonna be okay.” Angela hugged Maura to her, and Maura gripped her tightly, so afraid that this would be the last time she would hug the woman that loved her as if she were her own child.

“I’m not sure that it will be, Angela. But I’m going to keep trying to make it better. I promise.”

“I know you will. Finish your dinner, sweetie, and then go to bed. You’re so tired, I can see it. Tomorrow we’ll find a way to fix whatever this is, all right?”

“This isn’t going to be fixed tomorrow, Angela. This may never be fixed. I really did it this time. When-” Maura broke off to control her sobbing. “-When you speak to Jane about this, all I ask is that you keep in mind that I did what I thought was in Jane’s best interest. I wound up hurting Jane, but I went into the situation trying to keep her from getting hurt. Or more hurt than she already was. I tried to get her to see the facts.”

“Maura, none of this makes sense. Is Janie okay?” Angela asked.

“She’s upset, and she’s hurt, and I made her angry with me on top of it. But more than that you’ll have to get from Jane.” Maura said resolutely. “I would tell you if she was in some kind of danger, Angela. I would endure her wrath for that.” Maura smiled weakly.

“I know, sweetie.” Angela took the now empty bowl away from Maura and pointed to the pot. “You want some more?” She asked.

“Thanks, but no. It was delicious. Maybe you’ll share the recipe with me someday.” Maura said, trying to keep some shred of a normal relationship alive with Angela.

“Maura, no matter what this is with you and Jane, I’m always gonna love you like you’re one of my own.”

“Thank you.” Maura whispered into Angela’s embrace.

“Go get some rest. I’ll see you for breakfast in the cafe in the morning, got it?” Angela ordered gently.

“Sure, I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks Angela.”

“Maura, I love you sweetie, and I know Janie does too. No matter what, I know she loves you.” Angela said as she slipped out the back door, heading to the guesthouse.

“If only she did, Angela. If only.” Maura whispered after the door closed.

 

 

~*~

 

Angela didn’t bother to call Jane. She knew she wouldn’t answer for her. Instead she decided to wait for Jane in the morning. If she didn’t come by the cafe for breakfast, she would bring breakfast up to Jane. She was disappointed in Jane. No matter what was going on in her life, she should have time for Maura and she shouldn’t be treating her this way. Angela wished that Jane would open her eyes and see what Maura really was to her, and stop chasing after these fools that always left her broken hearted, but Angela knew the more she pushed, the harder Jane would push back. Angela knew Jane didn’t appreciate her meddling in her love life, but sometimes that girl was too stubborn for her own good, and Angela wasn’t going to let Jane miss out on what she truly deserved.

 

 

~*~

 

Jane arrived at her apartment after work and walked Jo, too exhausted to cry anymore. She really wished she could call Maura and tell her how upset she was over what Casey was doing, but she doubted that Maura would have any sympathy to offer her. That hurt her nearly as much as what Casey was doing.

What had she done in life to deserve this situation? Where had this all come from? Was she really going to have to choose between Maura’s friendship and Casey’s... whatever it was he had for her? She shouldn’t have to, and she resented Maura for making her feel that way, even if deep down she knew that Maura never gave her that ultimatum.

Bringing Jo back to the apartment, Jane checked her phone. There were no calls, no texts. She had really hoped Casey would call her back after he had time to think about Jane’s call earlier, but he hadn’t bothered. Jane wished she could figure out which hospital was doing the surgery. She would show up there the date of the surgery even if Casey didn’t tell her. She would show him that she cared, and she would be there for him.

  
Jane pulled a beer out of the fridge and sat down on her couch, ignoring the questioning look Jo gave her. Even the damn dog knew something was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OK, let's all groan at Jane together in the reviews, shall we? And what about Angela, what did you think of her talk with Maura? More to come- stay tuned! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, l-o-n-g chapter ahead. :)
> 
> So Maura tries the "if you can't beat them, join them" tactic but it doesn't work. Get your passports ready, Maura's about to take a big trip.

  
**Just the Facts**   
**Chapter 4**   


The next day started much like the day before for Maura. She had tried to sleep but didn't manage more than a few hours. She got up and got dressed, making sure to take one of the frozen lunches Angela had made for her, even if she knew she wouldn't be hungry enough to eat it later. As long as Angela saw her carry it in with her in her thermal lunch sack, she knew she could avoid talking to Angela about what had gone wrong.

As she sat awake the night before, she tried to think of ways to fix the situation with Jane. She tried to think of ways to open Jane's eyes to the way Casey was treating her, but she realized Jane didn't want to see that. That left Maura with little choice. Jane was going to chase after Casey, and despite her better judgment, she was going to have to offer to stand by her and let her go through with this. It was the right thing to do, even if it didn't feel right to her.

Upon entering her office, Maura picked up the phone. She called the two neurosurgeons she knew personally in Boston, and asked, off the record, if either of them had ever treated Casey Jones. She knew this was breaking HIPPA laws, but since she was colleagues with each of these doctors, neither hesitated to answer her honestly. The first doctor hadn't treated him and wasn't aware of his case. The second doctor had consulted with Casey, and after telling him that his surgical request was too dangerous, Casey had told him that he was going to see a doctor named Greg Marley in Brighton. Maura shuddered at the name. She had seen more bodies come through her morgue after a surgery by that doctor than by any other. He would operate on anyone, for any reason, regardless of the risks. The man was looking to make a name for himself as a surgeon, and he didn't seem to care how many patients died along the way due to his efforts.

Maura thanked the surgeon, and hung up. She looked up the number for Dr. Marley and called his office.

"Doctor's office, how may I direct your call?"

"Good Morning. This is the nurse case manager for Sergeant Major Charles Jones. We've had a paperwork mix up here, and we're calling to verify the hospital and date of his surgery with Dr. Marley."

Maura's neck was already starting to itch. She looked at her arms and could already see bumps forming. The hives were going to be awful. She hoped she wouldn't go vasovagal before she could hang up the phone and take an antihistamine.

"Certainly. Just a moment please." The voice said on the other end of the phone.

Maura grabbed a pen and paper and waited for the person on the other end of the phone to come back.

"Charles Jones is scheduled for surgery on September first at Massachusetts General Hospital."

"Great, thanks." Maura said, and hung up. She wrote the date down on the paper and got up to go see Jane. If she couldn't convince Jane to stop chasing Casey, she would have to stand by her and be there for her when this all went horribly wrong. Her own feelings didn't matter at the moment, and she would have to deal with them later. Right now her priority was making things better with Jane, and if getting this information to Jane would put an end to the misery she had created, she would find a way to deal with Jane chasing after Casey and its impact on her own feelings later on.

Maura rode the elevator alone, and tried to smile at Vince Korsak when she stepped out and saw him waiting for the car she was exiting. He could sense something was wrong. Jane had been out of sorts since Casey had shown up that Sunday, and he had rarely seen Maura since then. He smiled back at her, and asked her how she was doing.

"Hey Doc, how's it going?" He asked.

"I've been better, Vince. But thanks. I hope you're well?" Maura asked.

"Is there anything I can do?" Korsak asked instead of answering her question. He genuinely liked the doctor, and it made him sad to think something was wrong.

Maura shook her head. "No, everything will be fine soon enough. Thank you though."

"Okay Doc, but if you decide you want to talk, I'm always up for a cuppa coffee and a good chat."

Maura smiled at him. "Thanks Vince." She then continued into Brick, walking over to Jane's desk.

"Excuse me, Jane?" Maura asked quietly. She watched Jane's shoulders hunch in obvious aggravation and she watched Frost's eyes open wide.

"What do you want, Maura?" Jane asked, her tone as unfriendly as she could make it. She hadn't even bothered to turn around to look at Maura when she answered her.

"Do you have a minute? I'd like to talk to you." Maura said.

"I told you I didn't have time to talk to you yesterday. I don't have time to talk to you today, and just so we're clear, I don't have time to talk to you tomorrow, either. I don't have anything to say to you, and I really don't want to hear anything you have to say."

Frost jumped out of his seat. "JANE." He yelled, astonished by the way Jane was treating Maura.

"This is none of your business, Frost. BACK OFF." Jane yelled back.

Maura looked at Frost sadly and he shrugged at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, Doctor Isles. Is there anything I can do for you? My partner is a little... cranky this morning." Frost said, glaring at Jane and amazed that she could say what she did to Maura.

"Thank you, Barry, but this is personal. I appreciate it though."

Maura looked back at Jane, who refused to meet her eyes. "Jane I don't know what you think I'm going to say to you, but I've been trying for two days to talk to you. I just want to talk. I wish you'd give me five minutes of your time."

"I don't have five minutes for you. In fact, you're wasting my time now. From now on, if you have anything for the homicide unit, you're to give it to Frost or Korsak. Understood?"

Jane's words cut like a knife. Maura tried hard to fight back the tears. She really tried, but before she knew it they were flowing down her cheeks unchecked. Before she could further embarrass herself, Maura turned and hurriedly left the bullpen. She heard Frost say something angrily to Jane, and Jane yelled back, but she never caught what either of them actually said.

Maura returned to the morgue and tried to calm herself. This wasn't working. Every time she approached Jane, Jane got angrier with her. She thought about emailing the surgery information to Jane, but she figured Jane would just ignore the email or delete it once she saw it was from Maura. Maura knew she needed to back off from Jane, but Jane made everything sound so permanent just now.

She also knew that she needed to start thinking ahead. If Jane really was intent on chasing after Casey and winning his heart, maybe there really was no place left for Maura in Jane's life. And since Maura had so callously told Jane what she thought of Casey, it was unlikely that, should Jane somehow make Casey come around, that she would ever feel comfortable in Casey's presence. Even if things calmed down between them, Maura wasn't really sure she could stand by and watch Jane with Casey. She wanted Jane in her life, but if she was truthful with herself, she knew she would never be able to mask the jealousy and the hurt of watching Jane and Casey settle down together.

Maura suddenly felt like she was suffocating. The idea of losing Jane to Casey made her lungs constrict. She didn't think she would ever be able to take a deep breath again. She needed to get away. She couldn't watch all of this unfold in front of her. Jane made it clear she didn't want Maura around. She wouldn't be walking away from Jane. Jane had asked her to leave. She would only be giving Jane exactly what she had asked for.

Maura had a sudden, incomprehensible urge to see her mother, but her mother was at their home in Paris. And just like that, Maura realized that she had the money and the power of the Isles fortune, and she could be on her way to Paris to see her mother anytime she wanted to go. Now seemed as good of a time as any.

Maura started out by making a few calls. She filed the necessary paperwork with human resources and was surprised at the speed in which her request for a leave of absence was approved. She left her return date open, preferring to decide when or if she would come back after she had placed some distance between herself and the City of Boston.

She called the caretaker she usually used for Bass, preferring to have him come and pick Bass up rather than request that Angela look after him. The caretaker was specially trained and would recognize signs of stress or illness in the animal that Angela might miss. She knew Angela would look after the house for her while she was gone.

She chose to have the Mayor decide who to bring in to replace her while she was gone. It would likely be Dr. Pike, but she had no control over that. As of five o'clock that night, Maura Isles was temporarily leaving her post as the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

She took the elevator upstairs one final time after locking up her own office and hastily telling her staff that she would be taking a leave of absence. She knocked on the door to Sean Cavanaugh's office, and she pretended not to notice when Jane got up to leave the bullpen upon her arrival. Maura didn't work for Sean, but she felt she owed him a brief explanation, considering how close her department worked with his unit. She knew Dr. Pike was no one's favorite, but they would have to make due with him until she came back. If she came back. Sean seemed to take her sudden departure well, assuming that she was going to France to deal with some issue in her mother's recovery from her hit and run injuries earlier in the year. Maura didn't correct his assumption, she just skirted around it. Sean hugged her goodbye when he walked her to the door of his office and asked her to come back soon. Neither Frost or Korsak were at their desks when she came out, so she never got to say goodbye to them. She figured it was better this way anyway. There would be less explaining to have to do.

Before leaving for good, Maura put the piece of paper with Casey's surgery date on it on Jane's desk. Jane was a smart woman. She would figure out what it was without Maura explaining it.

Maura then took one more look around and walked back toward the elevators.

On her way out of the precinct, Maura stopped by the cafe and asked Angela to stop over at her house after work. She would leave instructions and contact information for Angela when she saw her later that night.

Angela looked worried, but agreed to stop over after her shift ended.

Maura drove home and started to pack. She had arranged for the Isles Foundation's private jet to fly her from Boston to New York, where she would catch a commercial jetliner to Paris. Sadly the Isles' private jet didn't have the range to take her all the way to France, but it was better not to waste the foundation's resources on her personal travel if she could avoid it anyway.

Maura was finishing with her packing when Angela arrived.

"Maura honey, are you upstairs?" Angela called from the back entrance.

"I am, Angela. Could you come up, please?" Maura replied.

Angela gasped when she saw the open suitcases and the printed boarding passes. "Maura, sweetie, where are you going?" She asked.

"I've got to get away for a little while, Angela. I was hoping you would take care of the house for me while I'm gone? Bass' caretaker already picked him up, so you don't have to worry about him. But if you could take care of the mail for me and make sure that the house is secure while I'm gone, I would really appreciate it. Oh, and the keys to the Prius are down on the kitchen island. Feel free to use the car whenever you need it."

"But honey, where are you going?" Angela asked worriedly.

"I decided to go to France for a little while. I'm going to spend some time with my parents."

"How long is a little while?" Angela asked.

"I'm not sure yet, Angela."

"What about work? Who is going to autopsy all the bodies?"

"The mayor will appoint an interim chief medical examiner in my absence." Maura replied, trying not to think of her possible replacement.

"Does this have to do with whatever is going on with Jane?" Angela asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It does, I'm afraid." Maura replied honestly.

"You can't just run from this, Maura." Angela said. "I thought you promised me you were going to try and work it out with her."

"I did promise you that, and I tried again today to keep that promise. I tried to talk to Jane again today, but she doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm going to France for a while to review my options and make plans."

"Does that mean you're not coming back?" Angela asked, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.

"I don't know, Angela. All I know is that I need to step away from all of this. I need to take a good look at my life and what I need to do from this point forward. Everything has changed now. I'm sorry, Angela. I really am."

"What about-" Angela cut herself off.

"What about what, Angela?" Maura asked, concerned.

"I was gonna ask what was going to happen to this house if you decided not to come back." Angela asked sheepishly.

"You will always have a roof over your head here if you choose it, Angela. Even if I don't come back, I still own the property, and I can't think of anyone else I would like to have look after it. I know you love it here, and I know you'll take good care of the place. You needn't worry about that."

"But what about Jane?" Angela asks.

Maura looked down at her hands and sighed before she looked back up at Angela. "I love Jane very much, Angela. Probably more than I should. And it's because of that love that I need to take a step back and go figure things out. Jane made it clear to me again today that she wanted nothing to do with me. I can't go through this again with her. I can't go into work everyday and see her there and realize that she hates me. So I need to put a little distance between her and I, and figure out what my options are. I will always be available to her if she needs me, but part of the problem is that she doesn't need me anymore. So I'm going to go home to my family for a little while and do my best to get past that."

Angela walked forward and wiped the tears off of Maura's face. "Honey, Jane loves you too. I know she does. I don't know what's going on, and I wish you would just tell me. I am your family too. Please, sweetie."

Maura looked at Angela and Angela could tell that Maura wanted to talk about all of it, but she stopped herself. "I'm sorry Angela. Like I said yesterday, that's a conversation for you and Jane to have. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish packing. The car service will be here in a little over an hour."

"How can I find you if I need you?" Angela asks. "You know, in case there's an emergency with the house or if you get some mail or something?"

"You can just call my cell phone like normal, Angela. I'll have it with me and it will work in France. Try to keep in mind that I'll be six hours ahead of you there, so try not to call too late if it's not an emergency, okay?" Maura said with a smile.

"Can I call you just to say hello?" Angela asked.

"Of course you can. And I hope you will."

"I wish you wouldn't do this, Maura." Angela said as she hugged her. "But I understand why. I don't know how any of this is going to turn out, but I want you to remember you're my daughter too. That's never going to change, no matter what."

Maura sniffled and hugged Angela tighter to her. "Thank you, Angela."

Angela let go of Maura and let her finish her packing. She was waiting downstairs for Maura when she brought her two suitcases down to wait for the car service.

"Thanks for looking after everything for me." Maura said to Angela as she waited for the car to arrive. "I'm sorry for the short notice but I do hope you know how much I appreciate you doing this for me."

"Am I ever going to see you again?" Angela asked suddenly and burst into tears.

"Yes, you will. I promise you that you will see me again, Angela. I promise. Please don't be so sad."

"Did you say goodbye to Janie?" Angela asked gently.

"No. She never gave me the chance." Maura said with a sad shrug. "I'm only going to visit my family, Angela. I haven't made any decisions yet. I may be back in a week. Who knows?"

With that a car horn honked outside. Maura pulled Angela into a fierce hug. "Take good care, Angela. I'll call you when I get to my parent's house. I know you're going to worry until I get there."

"Thanks Maura. Come home soon, okay?"

Maura didn't answer, but gave Angela one more hug and pulled her suitcases out the door with her. She gave Angela one last wave as the driver put the suitcases in the trunk of the car, and then she didn't look back as the car drove away. There could be no more looking back, it was too difficult.

 

~*~

Jane waited in the bathroom for as long as she could to make sure that the redness around her eyes had cleared up. She had started to run into the bathroom when she saw Maura approaching the bullpen, but was surprised to see Maura walk right past her and go into Cavanaugh's office. She wondered idly if Maura was lodging some kind of formal complaint against Jane. She knew that Maura had every right to do that, based on the way she had treated her in front of Frost, but she didn't think Maura was like that. Part of Jane felt genuinely guilty for treating Maura like she had. But the louder, more persistent part of her continued to tell her to feel angry with Maura, because that anger was what would finally make her stop these ridiculous feelings she had for Maura. Another part of her couldn't understand why Maura wasn't there with her, trying to convince Casey to stop this surgery nonsense and come to his senses. Wasn't that what best friends did?

Thinking about Casey brought a fresh set of tears. What had once felt so sure, so perfect about him was now all confusion, and she didn't even have Maura around to help her work through it. She had convinced herself that she loved Casey, and she knew on some level that was true. But she also knew she was attracted to Maura and loved being with her. She knew lashing out at Maura was completely wrong, and that if she kept this up she wouldn't have any aspect of Maura in her life, but she really didn't know what to do. She had planned and hoped and dreamed, and she saw herself married to Casey and best friends with Maura. Casey had dashed those dreams, and now Jane was left with her feelings for Maura again. Feelings she kept trying to hide because Maura could never feel the same way about her.

She'd known, when she saw Maura sitting on the steps to her apartment building instead of waiting for her in her apartment that something was going to go horribly wrong that night. Nobody sat out there and waited for her unless they were leaving, whether it was Joey Grant or Casey Jones. And in the end, Maura had gone too.

Jane wanted so much to try and understand where Maura was coming from, and she simply couldn't. Why wouldn't Maura be just as upset as she was over what Casey was doing to himself? Maura had sat there on the steps with her and comforted her, so why did she have to throw it in her face that Casey was doing something stupid? She knew Casey was making the wrong decision to have this surgery. And it killed her inside to think he had just walked right out the door on her. Maura was probably right, she did deserve better than the way he had treated her, but if being with Casey was what she wanted, then she had to go after it. There was no reason she and Casey couldn't work through this. Maura would just have to get over whatever issues she had with Casey. She wasn't going to spend the rest of her life trying to justify her relationship with Casey to Maura.

Jane wondered why she looked to Maura for approval at all. It wasn't just with Casey. She realized at that moment that she had been spending the entire time she knew Maura trying not to disappoint her. No, it was more than that. She never wanted to disappoint Maura, but she also always wanted to please her. She'd never been in a friendship where she went out of her way to make sure her friend was happy. Maybe that's why it hurt so much to think that Maura wasn't doing the same thing for her right now.

Jane exited the stall and washed her hands. She splashed some water on her face and looked in the mirror. She looked like a trainwreck, and she was sure her partner was going to have something to say about it when he noticed it.

She walked back into Brick and the first thing she saw was a slip of paper on her desk with Maura's neat, pretty handwriting.

_Massachusetts General Hospital_   
_September 1_   
_Dr. Greg Marley, Neurosurgeon_

Jane flipped the sheet of paper over, looking for some clue as to what this could be. Jane vaguely remembered seeing the paper in Maura's hands when she came upstairs earlier that morning and Jane had sent her away. Jane supposed she probably would not be sitting here wondering what this paper was supposed to mean if she had just listened to Maura when she came by earlier. She was sure the handwriting was Maura's. She would recognize that handwriting anywhere.

"Massachusetts General Hospital. September first. Doctor Greg Marley, Neurosurgeon. Neurosurgeon. Huh." Jane read the note out loud, repeating the doctor's specialty in an attempt to figure out what message Maura was trying to convey. Yesterday's phone call to Casey in the precinct's parking garage came back into her head, unbidden. She had begged Casey to tell her when and where his surgery was taking place. Maura had been getting into her car and overheard her begging.

It couldn't be. Had Maura found out when the surgery was taking place? Had she done that for her? No. She wouldn't do that, would she? She was so set against Casey, she wouldn't go looking for his surgery date for her, would she?

Maybe Maura was having surgery on September first? The idea of something being wrong with Maura that was so bad that she would need neurosurgery sent an icy tendril of fear down into Jane's stomach. No- that was ridiculous. There was nothing wrong with Maura. Maura would have long ago told her if she needed surgery of some kind. She would have realized that there was something wrong with Maura way before this. No, this had to be about Casey.

There was only one way to find out. Jane got up and headed down to the morgue.

Jane walked got off the elevator and tried to decide what she was going to say to Maura. She looked into the autopsy suite and saw it was dark, so she walked over to Maura's spacious office instead. She knocked on the closed door and got no answer. She tried the handle and realized the door was locked. She looked into the window and realized the lights were off. It wasn't even three thirty yet. That was strange. Maura would normally have been at work for at least another hour and a half, maybe longer if things were really busy.

"Hey Susie," Jane said, catching the senior criminalist as she passed by. "Where's Doctor Isles?"

Susie paused, thinking perhaps the detective was joking. How could she not know? Then she realized that the detective was asking in earnest, and Susie didn't want to have to explain. She'd had a feeling that Doctor Isles' sudden departure had something to do with the detective, and frankly she just didn't want to get involved. She never knew just how involved those two were with one another, and she wasn't about to get in the middle of a lover's quarrel.

"Um, she left." Susie shrugged.

"Oh, I'll just catch her tomorrow then." Jane said, and started walking away. She completely missed the puzzled look on Susie's face.

Jane went back up to her desk and looked around. Frost and Korsak were both out pursuing leads and probably wouldn't be back again today. Jane decided that since she had Brick mostly to herself, she would spend the afternoon researching this Doctor Marley guy. She wanted Casey to have his surgery with the best of the best, and that's who she was hoping Doctor Marley turned out to be. Maybe she could ask Maura about him tomorrow, when she saw her. Maybe they could find something quasi-neutral to talk about and maybe Maura would come around about Casey. Tomorrow she would try to talk to Maura.

 

~*~

 

Jane returned home that night completely depressed about what she had read about Dr. Marley. She looked around after walking Jo Friday. Her apartment was in shambles. She took a beer out of the fridge and took a long pull off of it. Looking around once more, she started to clean up. She needed something mindless to keep her occupied, and cleaning the apartment would have to be it.

Jane was surprised to hear her cell phone ringing at around 1:30. She was still up, still cleaning, and likely driving her neighbors crazy with the noise. She didn't care. Checking the phone, she saw it was dispatch. She took down the address of the crime scene and grabbed her car keys. It was going to be a long night.

Jane arrived at the scene a little while later and walked over to where Frost and Korsak were standing. "What do we have?" She asked by way of greeting.

"Apparent hit and run. Decedent is about thirty years old, female. No ID." Korsak responded.

"Maura been here yet?" Jane asked.

"No, we're still waiting for the ME's office to arrive." Frost said.

"Who is that?" Jane asked, seeing a tall man flash a badge at the officer near the crime scene tape.

The figure walked over to the body and leaned over, placing a bag of instruments down next to him.

"Who the hell are you?" Jane asked rudely, confused by the tall stranger that seemed to be doing everything Maura would do at a crime scene.

"Albert Thompson. Interim acting chief medical examiner. And you are...?" He asked, looking up from where he was kneeling.

"Wait, what?" Jane asked, shocked.

"I am Albert Thompson, I was appointed earlier today to replace Dr. Maura Isles during her absence. You can call me Al." He smiled at the pun he'd made, and held his hand out to shake Jane's hand.

Jane didn't reach out to take his hand, but Korasak stepped in and shook it. "Sergeant Detective Vincent Korsak. Call me Vince. Or Korsak. That's Detective Barry Frost, and this is Detective Jane Rizzoli."

"Ah, Jane Rizzoli. Your reputation precedes you." The new ME said with a smile as he shook Korsak's hand.

"Excuse me, Doc, but doesn't Doctor Pike usually cover for Maura when she can't make it?" Frost asked hesitantly.

"Doctor Isles has taken a leave of absence. The Mayor has appointed me interim acting chief medical examiner in her absence. I think all of the MEs were a little relieved. That Pike guy can be a real douchebag." The doctor said with a smile.

Suddenly Susie Chang's words echoed in Jane's ears. "Um, she left."

For the first time in her career, Jane realized she was going to be sick at a crime scene. She dashed outside the tape and emptied the contents of her stomach all over the street. Every time she thought of Maura being gone, she retched again.

"It's always the chicks that get sick at the scenes, isn't it?" Thompson said with a laugh, and got started with his scene examination without waiting for a response. Barry Frost almost had to be restrained from punching the guy. Korsak gave Frost a warning look, then walked over to Jane.

"Jane, it's all right. In the morning you'll call Doctor Isles and talk to her. She must have had an emergency of some kind." Korsak said to her gently, outside the crime scene tape.

"She left. Jesus, Korsak she left and didn't say goodbye to any of us."

"I can't blame her, Janie." Korsak said quietly, knowing he was going to regret it. He had seen Maura at the elevator the prior morning, and knew something was seriously wrong. He knew it had to do with Jane, but he had no idea what had happened. It wasn't his business to ask, though he had tried to make conversation with Maura and tried to help her.

"How could she do that? How could she just leave? Where is she going? What is she doing? Why is she doing this to me?" Jane asked.

"To you?" Korsak asked. "We're all going to miss her, but she's only on a leave of absence. She'll be back at some point."

"No Korsak, she left because we fought over Casey. She told me I was a fool to chase after him and I basically told her to get out of my life. She came to me three times to talk to me after we fought and every time I sent her away. I told her I wanted nothing to do with her. She isn't coming back."

"You don't know that, Jane. But she has a point about Casey." Korsak said gently.

"Not you too, Korsak."

"Any guy that is stupid enough to do what he did to you doesn't deserve you, Janie. And you're damn lucky to have someone like Maura to point that out to you. I can't understand why you chase after him all the time. All he ever does is hurt you. Maura never hurt you like that." Korsak pointed out.

"She just did, Vince." Jane said. And dear god, it hurt. It hurt more than anything else. She knew she deserved the hurt and the pain, but that didn't make it stop. She had succeeded in driving Maura away, without fully realizing that was what she had set out to do. She had no one to blame but herself, yet she somehow felt betrayed by Maura's departure.

Jane robotically went through the motions at the crime scene, leaving most of the investigation to Frost and Korsak. She didn't care if she was slacking. She tried calling Maura's cell phone twice while they were at the crime scene, and both times the call went directly to voicemail. The phone didn't even ring, leading Jane to think that Maura had her phone turned off. If she was no longer on call, there was no reason for Maura to keep her phone turned on all night.

Jane realized after her second call that meant that she too could no longer call Maura whenever she needed her. The idea left her speechless, and she didn't bother to leave a message after either call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you that didn't catch it, the new medical examiner is referring to the song "Call me Al" by Paul Simon. If you're too young to recognize this, go visit YouTube and watch the video. It stars Chevy Chase and it's rather cute and catchy.
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think of the story. Did you expect Jane to react that way to Maura's departure? What about Maura? Is she breaking her promise to Angela to try and work things out, or has she done enough? The ball is definitely in Jane's court, but what will she do with it? Let me know what you think in the reviews. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget folks, this is a Rizzles story. We're just taking forever to get there. ;) Angela finally steps in here and says something to Jane, but we've got another Angela/Jane heart-to-heart to look forward to in a later chapter. Jane's heard-headed, it's going to take her a while to come around. :)
> 
> Note, for this chapter and in coming chapters, translations of any phrases in other languages can be found in the second author's notes, at the bottom, though most are probably self-explanatory just from context.

  
**Just the Facts**   
**Chapter 5**   


The following morning, Jane walked downstairs for the autopsy of their Jane Doe. Albert Thompson was confident and appeared competent. He had nothing but nice things to say about Maura. He was friendly and had a great sense of humor. He once again referred to Dr. Pike as a douchebag, scoring major points with Frost and Korsak. Jane tried hard, but she couldn't find a valid reason to dislike him, except he didn't avoid guessing like Maura did, and of course he wasn't Maura. That last reason alone was enough for Jane to hate him, and hate him she did, despite him doing nothing wrong.

During the autopsy the doctor located a bruise on the decedent's calf. It looked like it came from a license plate. The letters GBH could just barely be seen impressed into the decedent's skin like they were embossed there.

Jane gave the letters to Frost and asked him to run plates within a one mile radius of the crime scene that started with GBH. Within an hour, Frost and Korsak were off with a warrant to look at a Mercedes that was registered at an address just a few blocks from the crime scene. They came back with a guy in cuffs, and the perp identified the decedent as one of his neighbors. Jane didn't have to worry about their case anymore. Sometimes cases solved themselves, and she was thankful for that.

Jane went down to the cafe and looked for her mother. She was exhausted and needed coffee, but she also knew her mother would know what was going on with Maura.

"Ma, did you hear about Maura?" Jane asked miserably.

"She left last night. I'm sorry Jane."

"Wait, she left? Where did she go?" Jane asked, terrified once again.

"She said she needed to put some distance between the two of you, so she was going to visit her family. She said she needed to look at her life and make some decisions." Angela said.

"Jesus Christ. Where did she go, Ma?" Jane asked desperately.

"France. I think her family is in Paris." Angela replied.

Jane gripped the counter, suddenly feeling faint. Her face paled and her hands began to shake.

"Janie, go sit down. I'll bring some coffee over to you. You and I need to have a good, long chat anyway."

Too scared to protest, Jane walked over on wobbly legs and sat down at one of the tables. Angela sat next to her.

"I want to hear all of it, Jane. Start from the beginning, and tell me how you managed to chase Maura out of the country." Angela said.

"I didn't chase her anywhere! She left!" Jane protested despite knowing it wasn't completely the truth.

"And I'm sure it had nothing to do with you, right?" Angela said.

"She-, I-, we-. Shit." Jane said.

"Jane! Language!" Angela yelled.

"Last Sunday, Casey showed up at the precinct. He was giving his service dog, Elsie, to Korsak to watch for a while, because he is having surgery to remove bone and shrapnel from his spinal cord. He didn't even come here to see me, but I caught him and we talked. He basically told me he wasn't ready to get back in touch with me. And then he left. A little while later he showed up on my front steps and said he was there to apologize. I invited him upstairs and he told me he was having the surgery, it was really risky, and then he asked me if I had seen anyone while he was away in Afghanistan. I was truthful with him. I told him I had seen Gabriel Dean. He asked me if I had feelings for him. I told him I did, but it was over, and I was ready to be with him. He told me that he was confident I would find someone else to love after he was gone, and he left."

"What an idiot." Angela said.

"Ma, please!" Jane interjected.

"I still don't see what this has to do with Maura, Jane." Angela said.

"Maura was waiting for me at my apartment the next night. She had a folder full of research on decompressive spine surgery. She sat there and we talked about the risk Casey was taking. She told me she didn't like Casey for what he had done to me. She told me she thought I was foolish to try and chase after him. She told me that someone that really loved me would never walk out on me like that. I got really mad at her. She's supposed to be my best friend, and she's supposed to be supportive of me. She wasn't supportive at all. I threw her out of my apartment." Jane said.

"Oh Janie, you didn't." Angela said, disappointment clear in her voice.

"I did. She kept saying 'look at the facts' and she kept telling me that she was trying to help me." Jane said.

"Well, she was trying to help you. And you seem to be completely blind, Jane." Angela said.

"I don't understand, Ma. I really don't. Doesn't she see that I love Casey? How could she say those things?"

"Don't you see, Janie? She loves you." Angela said.

"If she loves me so much, why did she do what she did?" Jane asked.

"You really are a selfish fool, Jane. She loves you. I can't believe you. I can't believe you drove her away like that. I can't believe you would choose Casey. All he has ever done is run from you. He can't handle you, and he definitely doesn't deserve you."

"What the hell are you talking about, Ma?" Jane asked, genuinely bewildered, her anger boiling back to the surface. "I certainly don't need to be handled!" Jane growled.

"You really are blind. For your sake, I hope she comes back to Boston, and I hope you make things right with her. You're throwing away so much more than you realize, Jane."

Angela got up and walked away to help a customer at the counter. Jane put her head in her hands. She had no idea what had just happened, but she was tired of everyone taking Maura's side in all of this.

 

~*~

The flight into New York had been bumpy, due to the late summer humidity. The LearJet, while both fast and generally considered safe, got knocked around quite a bit in the turbulence. Maura was quite used to flying in the plane, but the turbulence was making her stomach lurch. She realized that the turbulence felt a lot like what she was going through emotionally at the moment. She would be glad when the plane was back on solid ground, and was thankful the flight between Boston and New York was not a long one.

The pilot of the private plane apologized for what seemed like the hundredth time after they landed.

"My apologies, Dr. Isles The weather wasn't too cooperative with us. I hope you will have a much smoother flight to Paris." The pilot said as she stood outside of the cockpit after they had landed.

"It was beyond your control, Karen." Maura said to the pilot. She had known her for over 10 years, and always asked her to address her as Maura, yet she never did. To Maura it felt like another attempt by someone she knew to push her away. She knew it wasn't rational, and that Karen was just being her usual professional self, but the events of late had left Maura unusually sensitive to these things. "Thank you for a safe flight. I'll see you on the return trip." Maura said as she stepped off the plane and into the car that waited to take her to the international departures terminal.

Once on board the commercial jet, Maura helped herself to a glass of wine when the flight attendant offered it. She checked her phone for messages one last time before shutting it off and placing it into her carry on bag. She stretched her legs out in front of her, thankful that she had a first class seat for the flight. She was taking the red eye to Paris, and would try to sleep in the flatbed seat once they reached their cruising altitude. She didn't want to look completely miserable when she arrived on her parents' doorstep. For the first time in several days she felt like she could relax a little and put the events of the past week behind her.

Maura was surprised when she woke up several hours later to the sound of the flatbed seats being folded back up. Maybe it had been the wine or maybe it had been the lack of sleep in the days prior to this trip, but she never expected to sleep for the duration of the flight. Normally she would wake up after just an hour or two, and she would pass the time reading or going over autopsy reports. She was slightly disappointed when she realized that the pilot had turned the fasten seatbelt sign back on in anticipation of arrival and she would be unable to freshen up in the lavatory before landing. She would just have to wait until after she cleared customs and immigration to clean up. There would be no one waiting for her when she arrived anyway, so it didn't matter if she took her time at the airport.

The thought depressed her, that there would be no one waiting for her. Not in Paris and not back at home in Boston either. Maura knew she had to stop thinking like that and simply look for a new direction to take her life in, but the idea of never seeing Jane again still burned, and she didn't want to start crying. Not now.

Maura cleared customs and immigration relatively quickly and stepped into a restroom to freshen up. She brushed her hair and applied some makeup after brushing her teeth. Her clothes were wrinkled and that bothered her, but she didn't bother to get changed. She would shower and change at her parent's house. Right now she was eager to see them both.

She stopped at an ATM in the airport and withdrew some Euros so she would have money to pay the cab driver, and then stepped in line at the taxi stand to take a taxi to the Parisian suburb where her parents lived. In flawless French, Maura instructed the driver to take her to her parents' home. She soaked up the sights, having missed them the last several years. As they passed through the city and into the suburbs, there was more green, more trees, more wide open spaces. The houses got bigger as they went, and she heard the driver whistle softly when he pulled up in front of her parents 'maison'.

The front door opened as the taxi driver was removing her suitcases and Henri, the long-time housekeeper for the Isles family started making his way down the walk toward Maura. Maura beamed at him.

" _Bonjour_ , Henri!"

_"Ah, Madame Docteur Isles! Quelle surprise! Vous êtes juste à temps pour le déjeuner! Vos parents seront très heureux de vous voir!"_

Henri hugged her tightly, and insisted on pulling the two heavy suitcases inside while Maura paid the taxi driver. She tipped him generously and then quickly followed Henri up the walk to the front door, where her mother now stood waiting, a confused smile on her face.

"Hello Darling." She said pleasantly. "What a wonderful surprise." Constance pulled Maura into a tight hug, and Maura was thrilled to see how well her mother was doing.

"Your recovery looks to be going splendidly, Mother. I'm so happy to see you doing so well." Maura said as she kissed both of her mother's cheeks.

"I am doing quite well, thank you." Constance studied her daughter for a moment. "You, on the other hand, must have a story to tell me. Why else would you arrive, unannounced, on our doorstep?"

"I'm sorry for not calling beforehand, Mother. This was rather last minute. I hope I'm not imposing?" Maura asked, suddenly realizing that her parents may have had other plans for their time.

"Nonsense darling! I'm thrilled you're here. Your father will be so pleased to see you! You know you're always welcome here. But cherie, where is Jane? Surely you haven't come here without her?" Constance asked, looking behind Maura and Henri.

Maura's face fell, and it was all the confirmation Constance needed as to why her daughter had arrived unannounced on her doorstep.

"Jane is still in Boston, mother." Maura said simply. Constance knew not to push, and instead she guided Maura into the house, calling out to her husband.

"Honey, you'll never guess who is here!" Looking over to Henri, she said _"Pourriez-vous mettre un autre plat à la table? Maura se joindront à nous pour le déjeuner."_

Henri dashed off to add another place setting to the table and Maura's father appeared in the doorway.

"Maura!" He said, opening his arms widely and pulling her in for a hug. "Oh what a wonderful surprise. I am so happy to see you!"

"I'm happy to see you as well, Father. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Maura asked.

"Not at all! We were just about to have lunch. Are you hungry? Would you care to join us?"

Maura's stomach took that moment to remind her that she hadn't eaten much of anything since Angela's pasta fagioli the night before. Wait, was it the night before or two nights ago? It didn't matter. It had been too long since she had eaten anything substantial, and suddenly she was famished.

"I would love some lunch, thank you Father. I just need to freshen up a bit and make a quick call first."

"Certainly, darling. We'll be in the dining room when you're ready." Her father replied.

Maura walked upstairs to the room she had used as a child whenever her family was in Paris. The bed was bigger and the colors were better suited to an adult now, but most of her childhood decor remained and it made Maura smile. She looked at the microscope up on the bookshelf, reminded that what had seemed like such an important tool in her childhood was now a part of the decor. She had graduated into higher tech tools, but she would never forget where she got started.

Maura washed up in the bathroom and changed into a skirt and a blouse. She fixed her makeup and her hair, and afterward she pulled out her phone to call Angela. She powered it up and waited for it to find a cellular network. Once the phone had picked up the Orange network, she dialed the country code for the United States and Angela's mobile phone number. Angela picked up on the first ring, the sounds of the early breakfast rush at the cafe coming through clearly.

"Maura?" She heard Angela ask.

"Hi Angela. I just wanted to let you know I've arrived at my parents' house."

"That's great, sweetie. I'm glad you got there safely. Did you have a nice flight?" Angela asked.

"There was significant turbulence out of Boston, but by the time I departed New York the weather was clearer, and I had a smooth flight into Paris."

"That's good. I'm sure your parents were thrilled to see you." Angela said.

"They were. As a matter of fact, they are waiting for me to have lunch with them. I just wanted to check in with you, and let you know I arrived here safely. Thanks again for keeping an eye on the house for me."

"It's my pleasure, Maura. Please say hello to your parents. I hope your mother is feeling better. Please give her my regards." Angela said.

"I'll do that. Thanks Angela."

Maura could hear Stanley bellowing in the background and she knew she was keeping Angela from her work.

"I have to go, Maura. But please call me again soon. Let me know what's going on, and when you decide to come home, let me know so I can have the house ready for you, okay?" Angela asked.

"I'll do that. I'll speak to you soon, Angela. Have a good day."

"Bye, Maura."

"Bye, Angela."

Maura felt bad disconnecting the call. The sounds of the cafe in the background were so familiar, and it hurt to think she probably wouldn't speak to Angela again for several days. She wondered if Jane had gone into the cafe for breakfast, and whether anyone had told her that Maura had left. She wondered if Jane would even care.

The sound of a voicemail notification brought Maura out of her thoughts, and she played the messages. Both were hangups. On the first voicemail there was no sound other than the electronic noise of a phone disconnecting. The second message was a few seconds longer, and the sounds familiar to a crime scene were evident in the background. She could hear the crackle of a police radio and the shrill of a siren in the background before the call disconnected. Maura hypothesized that there had been a call last night and someone, maybe even Jane, had tried to get in touch with her. Because her phone had been off on the airplane when the calls had come in, there was no caller identification to associate with the voicemails. Maura figured that Jane now knew she had left Boston. She wondered how Jane had reacted, and if she had found the paper with Casey's surgery information on it yet.

There was little point in sitting there wondering. It was unlikely that she would ever find out the answers to those questions. Instead, Maura straightened her skirt and took one more look in the mirror, and then headed down to the dining room to join her family for lunch.

Lunch was a typical Isles affair, and Maura took comfort in the formality of it. Henri positively glowed as he brought the dishes in, and he squeezed her shoulder several times. Maura relished the human contact, thrilled that Henri was so happy to see her. She was thankful she had found her parents at home when she arrived, too. It felt good to be so warmly welcomed by the usually distant pair.

The lunch conversation centered on playing catch up, with Maura keeping the conversation steered in her parents' direction. Her father regaled her with tales of his recent trip to Tanzania and her mother spoke about her physical therapy and how her recovery had been going since she had returned to France. It was inevitable though, that the conversation would soon return to Maura. Her parents were naturally curious as to why she had just appeared on their doorstep, and they had every right to ask.

"Darling, we're so glad you're here. What brings you to Paris?" Her father asked gently.

Maura pursed her lips. It would be easy to tell them that she needed a rest, and that she decided to get away from Boston for a while. That wasn't a lie, and she was sure her father would buy it without a second thought. Her mother asking about Jane earlier led Maura to believe that her mother would not buy that as a reason, and that would require further conversation. She knew her mother would at least have the tact to leave it for later, allowing all of them to enjoy their first meal together as a family in several years.

"Work has been quite stressful lately. I needed a rest and thought I would come visit for a little while." Maura said simply.

Her father nodded. She felt Constance watching her, and glanced over at her. Her mother's look seemed to be encouraging her to elaborate a bit, but Maura held back.

"Do you know how long you'll be in town, Maura?" Her mother asked.

"I haven't decided yet." Maura said. "If you're both going to be traveling, I can always check into a hotel." Maura added.

"Your mother has a gallery opening in Madrid next week, dear, but I'll be here. You know you're welcome to stay as long as you would like." Her father said.

Maura looked to her mother for confirmation, and Constance nodded at her. "Yes, Maura. It would be lovely to have you here. And if you'd like, you can join me in Madrid and come to the gallery opening next week. When was the last time you were in Spain?"

Maura was grateful to her mother for changing the subject. She knew she hadn't gotten out of a long talk with her mother, but at least she could eat her lunch in peace.

"I think it's been about ten years since I was last in Spain," Maura said. "If you don't mind the company, I would love to travel with you to Madrid next week, Mother."

"That would be fabulous, darling." Constance said, and then everyone continued eating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> "Bonjour, Henri!" Hello Henri
> 
> "Ah, Madame Docteur Isles! Quelle surprise! Vous êtes juste à temps pour le déjeuner! Vos parents seront très heureux de vous voir!" Oh, Dr. Isles! What a surprise! You're just in time for lunch! Your parents will be so happy to see you!
> 
> "Pourriez-vous mettre un autre plat à la table? Maura se joindront à nous pour le déjeuner." Could you please set another place at the table? Maura will join us for lunch.
> 
> I hope the French in this chapter was correct. I am not fluent in the language, so I would expect there to be mistakes. Gentle corrections are always welcome. My intention is not to mangle the language. :)
> 
> \--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> A/N: So, Maura has made it to France, and Constance knows something is up. Do you foresee a Maura/Constance heart-to-heart? Let me know in the reviews. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit that Maura's heart-to-heart with Constance in this chapter is one of my favorite parts of this entire story (which is now about 95% written and just needs editing). When Maura talks about working on her relationship with Constance on the show, their heart-to-heart in this chapter is what I imagine would be the result of those efforts. I hope it will be one of your favorite parts of the story too. Before we get to that heart-to-heart though, we have to deal with some more Cranky!Jane who still has a bad case of denial. Frost may be able to talk some sense into her though and Jane's denial may just (finally!) start to waiver. :)

  
**Just the Facts**   
**Chapter 6**   


Jane sat at her desk staring at her computer screen, unable to focus on the email she was trying to read. The background noises of the bullpen were normally calming to her, but today they just added to her agitation. She couldn't concentrate on anything, and without a case on her desk she had no choice but to just sit there and shuffle papers around. Frost seemed to sense this.

"Jane, you know if you want to head home for the day, I can cover for you."

"Nah, thanks though." Jane responded half-heartedly.

"I'm sorry she left, Jane." Frost said quietly.

"I didn't really give her much choice, did I?" Jane responded.

"What happened?" Frost asked timidly.

"She told me Casey was no good for me. Called him an asshole, actually."

"Wow. The doc actually said that?" Frost was amazed.

"Yeah, can you believe that? She's supposed to be my best friend, and she calls the guy I'm in love with an asshole."

"Actually, I agree with her. I was just amazed at her choice of words." Frost said quickly, and then realized that he had just stepped in it.

"Really Frost? Really? Does everyone here hate Casey?" Jane started to raise her voice.

"Jane, please take it easy. Nobody here hates Casey. Everybody here hates what he has done to you. We care about you, and none of us want to see you so hurt. And I think we're all kind of surprised that you're so hard up for this guy."

"Why would anybody be surprised by that?" Jane asked.

"Well, he came back from Afghanistan and didn't even tell you he was in town. And when you found out, he brushed you off. Then he said he would call you, and he never did. And all along, we've all been wondering why you've been chasing after Casey for love when you've had it right there with you the entire time."

"What? What the hell are you talking about, Frost?" Jane asked.

"Maura. C'mon Jane, you're not really that blind, are you?"

"For the nine hundredth time Frost, Maura and I are NOT a couple!" Jane yells, causing half the bullpen to turn around and stare at her. She leans in, over her desk so she's closer to Frost. "Get. That. Through. Your. Thick. Skull. It's not funny anymore. In fact, it never was funny!"

"Jane, everybody here knows you and Maura weren't a couple. What nobody here understands though, is why the two of you were never a couple. You do everything couples do except have sex with each other. You practically live at her house. And when you're not at her house, she's in your apartment. You finish each others sentences. You practically read each others minds. You know her better than anyone else, and she knows you better than anyone else. You are the only person that managed to bring her out of her shell and she is the only person you would let in after your first run in with Hoyt. The two of you are clearly attracted to one another. She trusts you, and it's obvious that she loves you. Can you really blame her when she sees what Casey does to you and doesn't like it? She would never treat you the way he treated you. How can you not see that?"

"Oh really, Frost? Are you forgetting that she picked up and went to France to get away from me? How is that any different from what Casey did?" Jane asked, venom dripping from her voice.

"Wow, she went all the way to France?" Frost asked in amazement. "Damn Jane, you really know how to-" Frost stopped when he saw Jane's glare. "Ahem. Anyway, you asked how what Casey did was any different from what Maura did. The difference is that Casey walked out on you- again- and you kicked Maura out. You can't deny the fact that I was sitting right here when she came by and you told her you didn't have time for her and wanted nothing more to do with her. What did you expect her to do? Stick around, so you could hang your relationship with Casey over her head? Do you have any idea how much you must have hurt her?" Frost asked.

"Maura is a grown woman and she understands how relationships work. I also know that she doesn't have feelings for me."

"That's not true, Jane. That's not true and you know it. And before you go denying it for yourself, you know that you have feelings for her too. The two of you are just too scared to admit it."

"I am not scared!" Jane whispered.

"So you do admit you have feelings for her then?" Frost said.

"No! No, that's not what I meant." Jane knew her protest was too vehement, and she didn't want to continue with this conversation.

"What did you mean then?" Frost asked.

"I-" Jane stopped. "I don't know." She admitted.

"The only other thing I don't understand is why you want Casey so badly. Everything you want, everything you need is right there in Maura. She has always been there for you. She has never let you down, and yet you keep pushing her away. Why do you want Casey so badly, Jane? Why don't you want Maura?"

"I can't answer that." Jane replied. "Besides, she left the date and place of Casey's surgery on my desk before she left. Isn't that kind of like her giving me her blessing?" Jane asked hopefully.

"It sounds to me that it was more like her giving up. Like she was tired of hurting so much, so she did one last nice thing for you before she took off. Wow, Jane. You've really screwed this up." Frost said accusingly.

"Frost, I've had enough of this conversation." Jane said, her anger simmering just below the surface.

Frost knew enough to back down, but he wasn't finished speaking. "I think you know the answers to those questions I asked, Jane. And when you're ready to admit to yourself that you know those answers, then you'll really be ready to go after what you want. After who you want."

"Enough I said!" Jane seethed.

"Fine. But when you're ready to talk about it, I'm here. I'm not going to judge you. And if you really come to your senses, I'll do everything I can to make sure you can bring Maura back to Boston."

Jane got up and walked away. This was way too much for her to handle.

 

~*~

Maura was relieved when they finished lunch and her mother hadn't asked her anything more about her reason for visiting. When they were finished, she excused herself and went upstairs to unpack. She wasn't surprised when she found her mother waiting at the door to her bedroom a short while later. Maura smiled at her in greeting, and Constance stepped over the threshold into the room, but came in no farther.

"I heard you on the phone earlier." Constance said. "You called Angela?" She asked.

"Yes. I was calling her to let her know I arrived. She sends her greetings." Maura replied.

"You didn't call Jane?" Constance asked.

"No mother. I didn't call Jane. I think you already know that Jane is the reason why I am here." Maura said sadly. There was little point in trying to avoid this conversation any longer. The sooner they got it over with, the calmer Maura would be, and maybe it would be easier for her to formulate a plan for her future, even if it didn't involve Jane.

Constance made her way into the room, walking over to the microscope on the bookshelf behind Maura. Maura watched her mother run her fingers over it.

"You used to carry this around the same way other children would carry around a teddy bear or a security blanket." Constance said quietly.

Constance turned back to Maura and looked at her. "Even as a child you were more concerned with dealing in facts than you were in flights of fancy."

Maura looked down. She really didn't need to be reminded of how abnormal she was as a child.

"I don't think I've ever told you how proud I am of you, Maura. Even as a child you would set goals for yourself, and you would never let anything stand in the way of those goals. You have more drive and determination than anyone I've ever met."

"Thank you, Mother. But I-" Maura was confused about where this conversation was headed, but Constance interrupted her gently.

"So what I don't understand, Maura darling, is why you're here, running from your goals. Why are you hiding from your hopes and dreams instead of running toward them?" Constance asked.

"Mother," Maura started speaking, but she didn't really know where to begin.

Constance sat down at the foot of the bed and pointed to the spot next to her. Maura sat down and looked for the words she needed to say.

"Why not start from the beginning?" Constance asked gently.

And so she did. Maura started at the beginning, talking about Casey and Jane, about Casey's decision to have surgery, Jane's infatuation with Casey and how he hurt her, and Maura's frank conversation with Jane. She talked about how she tried to make things right with Jane, but Jane continued to reject her. And then she told her mother about getting the surgery information for Jane and leaving it for her before taking a leave of absence from work. By the time Maura finished talking, she was crying and Constance had wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Darling, may I be candid with you?" Constance asked.

"Of course, Mother." Maura replied, wiping her tears away with the handkerchief her mother had offered her.

"Do you love Jane?" She asked quietly.

"I do, Mother." Maura answered honestly.

"Does Jane love you?" Constance asked.

"I thought she did, Mother. But perhaps she doesn't love me the same way I love her. And that's really why I'm here. I couldn't stand the thought of her getting together with Casey. I couldn't stand the thought of her being with him and having to watch that and be, be happy for her." Maura's voice hitched and a new round of sobs started. "I know I'm being selfish. I know I am supposed to be supportive of her, and I really do care about how upset she is over all of this with Casey, but I can't be the friend she wants me to be because I can't stand the idea of losing her."

"So you're willing to give up your dream job over this?" Constance asked.

"My dream job is nothing in comparison to Jane, Mother. It's... it's just a job. Jane is... unique. There is no one else like her. And I love her. I'm in love with her. I'm in love with Jane." Maura admitted.

"I know, darling. And it's okay." Constance said with a smile. "I also think that Jane is in love with you, which is why I am surprised at how she is throwing herself at this Casey. I think you were right to come here and separate yourself from the situation for a little while, but Maura, you can't stay here forever. You're welcome to stay- please don't misinterpret what I am trying to tell you, but you must not run from this forever. The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be to win her over."

Maura nodded. "I didn't think you'd take the news as well as you just did." She whispered.

"Sweetheart, you've never dated anyone that had the gall to chew me out at one of my gallery openings. You weren't even dating her at the time and Jane put me in my place. She cares for you. She looks out for you. She wants you to be happy. I can't imagine anyone else I would rather see you with. However," Constance paused, and Maura raised an eyebrow warily. "However, if she continues to treat you this way, I reserve the right to change my opinion."

Maura smiled. "Thank you, Mother."

"Why don't you finish unpacking and clean yourself up a bit. It's a beautiful afternoon and my physical therapist says I need to walk more. Let's go for a walk, and I'll show you everything that has changed in the neighborhood since you were last here."

"That sounds lovely, Mother."

"I also think you should come with me to Madrid next week. I'll be there Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the gallery opening. When we come back, we can formulate a plan together. My daughter does not give up on her hopes and dreams. She sets goals, and she doesn't let anyone get in the way of those goals."

"That sounds like a good plan. Thank you." Maura said shyly.

Constance pulled Maura in for a hug. "I'm sorry I didn't do this more often in the past, Maura. But anytime you need a hug, I've got one for you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Cranky!Jane is still alive and well. She's taking her hurt and her fear out on everyone and anyone, and her partners and mother aren't going to take it anymore. She's about to be really bad, but her attitude is going to start to shift in the next few chapters. Remember folks, this is a Rizzles story, it's just taking us FOREVER to get there. We will get there though, the chapters are already written and are being editied every day. Thank you for sticking with me!

**Just the Facts**   
**Chapter 7**

Jane spent the rest of the week in a sort of vicious haze. She was quiet if left unprovoked, but if anyone approached her, she lashed out. Frost was doing his best to handle her, if only to keep her employed, but he knew at some point something was going to have to give.

"Do you know where in France she's staying?" Frost asked her out of the clear blue on Friday morning.

"No." Jane answered sullenly.

"Are you going to try to find out?" Frost prodded.

"Why would I do that, Frost?" Jane asked, her temper evident in her voice.

"So you can go and bring her home, Jane." Frost spoke to her like she was a child, and Jane didn't appreciate it at all.

"Casey's surgery is Monday, Frost. I'm concentrating on that." Jane said in reply.

"Have you heard from Casey?" Frost asked.

"No."

"Has he returned one of your calls or texts?" Frost asked.

"Not since the beginning of the week, no."

"Why is that, Jane?" Frost asked.

"Why are you asking me all of this, Frost? Are you looking for two black eyes and a broken jaw?" Jane asked.

Frost continued undeterred. "So what are you going to do? Show up at the hospital on Monday and just sit there and wait and hope he begs for you after he comes out of the anesthesia?"

"I don't know, Frost. I just don't know!" Jane sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"I think instead of sitting around in a hospital waiting to see a guy who may or may not even want you there, you should go to France. Tell Maura you're sorry. Instead of begging Casey to love you, beg Maura to come home and give you a second chance."

"Now why would I do that? Why would I fly all the way to France to see her? Jane asked, daring Frost to answer her.

"Because she loves you, and that idiot Casey doesn't. Because you're a goddamned fool, Jane. You sit here and you stew in your anger and you chase after this guy like some crazed stalker, and you let the one good thing in your life walk out. Have you even tried to contact her since she's been gone?"

"Fuck you, Frost." Jane yelled, and got up to walk away. Cavanaugh heard her outburst and and called her into his office.

"RIZZOLI! Get in here!"

Jane slinked into his office and Cavanaugh slammed the door behind her.

Frost sat down at his desk and put his head in his hands. He'd known some stubborn people in his life, but Jane would take first place in any stubborn contest if there were one.

Korsak walked over and placed a hand on Frost's shoulder. "Give her a little more time, Barry. She'll come around. Have you been able to track Maura down at all?" He asked.

"The Isles Foundation jet flew her into John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and she took a commercial flight to Paris. Beyond that, I don't know where she went. I can't get a look at her credit or debit cards without a subpoena, and I can't get a subpoena because she's not a criminal and she's not a missing person."

Korsak and Frost straightened up as Jane stormed out of Cavanaugh's office. She glared at them both as she grabbed her suit jacket.

"Thanks to you, Frost, I have some paid time off. I guess I'll see you guys next week."

"Rizzoli!" Cavanaugh yelled from his office door.

"Oh, and I'm supposed to apologize to you, Frost. But I see Hell hasn't frozen over yet, so I guess you'll have to wait a little longer."

With that, Jane grabbed her jacket and walked out of the bullpen. After Jane got on the elevator, Sean Cavanaugh approached the two men. "Frost, have you found Maura yet?" he asked quietly.

"No. I've tracked her to Paris, but I can't locate her beyond that. I can't track her phone because she's on an international network and we don't have the capability. I can't track her credit and debit cards because I need a subpoena for that and I can't get one."

"I know you'll think of something, Frost. Korsak, have you been able to get any information out of Angela?"

"Only that the Doc flew to Paris to stay with her family. She only left her cell number with Angela. Angela tried to get her to leave more contact information before she left, but Maura said she could just call her on her cell if something came up."

"We'll work it out. Keep trying. Good job, both of you."

Cavanaugh walked back into his office and shut the door.

"I think I have an idea that might work, but we're going to have to bring Angela in on it." Korsak said.

"Tell me what you've got, and let's make it happen." Frost said.

"Well, Angela said that Maura left her in charge of the house. So what if we track down the number for one of the administrators of the Isles Foundation and have Angela call them. Tell them that Maura left her in charge, and there's an important package that she needs to overnight to Maura, but Maura left without leaving a street address for the package. The Isles Foundation must have an address for Maura in Paris."

"That sounds great. If anyone can weasel that information out of the Isles Foundation, Angela can."

"The question is, what is Jane going to do with that information once we give it to her?" Frost asked.

"She's going to go to Paris and bring the Doc back even if I have to tie her up in a burlap sack and put her in the cargo hold of the plane myself." Korsak answered forcefully.

* * *

Jane drove home in a silent fury. She couldn't believe that her lieutenant could send her home like that. Frost was way out of line, and she had every right to tell him so. The upside to it all was that she was off until Tuesday, which gave her the entire day on Monday to spend at the hospital with Casey. She still wasn't sure how she was going to approach Monday. Casey had made it pretty clear to her that she should stay away. He kept saying he wasn't ready for a relationship with her, and that he had to make his recovery his priority. When he stopped returning her calls at the beginning of the week, Jane felt like the rug had been pulled out from underneath her.

Jane arrived at home and took Jo Friday out for a walk. She had planned to only take the dog around the block, but she found herself still wandering more than an hour later. Jo didn't seem to mind. She was enjoying the fresh air and the exercise, and Jane's mind finally started to slow down enough to think.

Jane was worried about Casey. She trusted her gut, and her gut told her that Casey having this surgery was a huge mistake.

Her gut also told her that she missed Maura. Jane hated admitting that to herself, but she knew she needed Maura and the situation as it stood was unacceptable. Maura shouldn't have gone to France. She should still be the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She should still be Jane's best friend. Jane missed her smile, her quirky jokes, her personality. She missed Maura's warmth and her love.

"Wait, what?" Jane asked out loud, and then looked around to make sure no one had heard her.

It's true when they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. It had happened to Jane with Casey, and while he had been serving the country in Afghanistan, Jane fell in love with him. And his absence right now made her heart break.

The situation with Maura wasn't much different. Jane knew she loved Maura and her absence hurt. But was she really missing what Frost and her mother and even Cavanaugh had said she was missing? Was she in love with Maura? Was the attraction she felt toward Maura love or just lust?

No, she thought. She was attracted to Maura. Maybe she had feelings for her, but she was in love with Casey. She had to keep reminding herself of that. She was in love with Casey, not Maura.

But Casey had hurt her and Maura had tried to help her.

Casey seemed like the easy way to go. She could settle down with him. Help him through his recovery. They would start dating again when his health permitted it. Maybe they would get married and have kids someday.

Maura was different. She knew that things with Maura would be easy because they had always been easy with her, but her life would be tossed upside down if she and Maura actually got together. She would be a walking stereotype if she got together with Maura. She didn't know if her ego could handle that.

Plus, there was the entire question as to whether Maura had ever even loved Jane the way everyone said she did. Maura herself had never said it.

Then again, neither had Casey.

So why was it that she kept chasing after Casey? What did he have that Maura didn't?

Maura was smart, successful, kind and generous.

Casey was brave but stubborn. He was strong but he didn't seem to care who he hurt.

Maura had put Jane ahead of herself every time the opportunity presented itself. Casey decided to have life threatening surgery without even speaking to her about it first.

Jane suddenly realized what Maura had meant when she said to look at the facts.

Jane started walking back to her apartment. She still had no idea what to do. She felt like she needed to be there for Casey on Monday even if he didn't want her there. But she also needed to speak to Maura. She needed to let Maura know that she understood where she had been coming from, and she was sorry for the way she had treated her.

Would Maura even take her call at this point? Jane wasn't really even sure how you called France. Would Maura's phone work over there? Was her number the same? What would she say to her if she got her on the phone?

What would she say to Casey? Was it possible to try to be there for him through his surgery and then try to find Maura?

What did all of this mean? Did this mean she didn't want to be with Casey anymore? Jane knew it was ridiculous to think she could just forget Casey and then run into Maura's arms. Things didn't work that way, and even if it were possible she wasn't sure Maura would let her do that at this point. She still wasn't sure she wanted to be with Maura. All she was sure of right now was that she had more questions than answers, and she had no one but herself to help her work them out.

Jane opened the door to her apartment and flopped onto the couch. She had really dug herself into a deep hole, and she had no idea how to get out of it. Jane was lost, and she needed Maura to help her out of this, but Maura was gone. How was she ever going to get through this weekend, let alone the rest of her life, without Maura?

She watched the dog sniff around on the floor before she made her way over to the basket of dirty laundry in the corner. Suddenly the dog hopped into the basket.

"No Jo! Down!" Jane yelled.

The dog hopped back out of the basket with one of Maura's dirty shirts clenched between her jaws. Maura had left the shirt here a week ago when she had fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie with Jane. Jane had offered her a sleep shirt, and had kept Maura's clothes here to wash. The next morning she had given Maura a new t-shirt to wear home. She hadn't gotten around to doing the laundry since Maura had left, and it was apparent that Jo Friday could smell Maura on the shirt. Jo scurried up to the couch and hopped up, curling herself up on top of the shirt and against Jane's leg, where she promptly fell asleep.

"Even Jo Friday knows who I'm supposed to be with." Jane muttered to herself. Jane envied the dog. She wished it was that easy to wrap herself up in Maura.

* * *

Angela came up to Barry Frost's desk after her shift in the cafe ended. Barry had stopped into the cafe earlier and told her about his plan to get address information for Dr. Isles in France. She had readily agreed to give it a try, but was unsure what Jane's next move would be if they were successful in their endeavors. It didn't matter though. She wanted Maura to come home as much as everyone else did and the first step toward doing that was to find exactly where Maura was.

"Okay, Mrs. Rizzoli, all you need to do is call up and speak to the administrative assistant. Tell her who you are and that you are in charge of Dr. Isles' house while she is in France. Tell her that Dr. Isles left specific instructions for you to send any mail she received over to her in France immediately, but she didn't leave a mailing address. Tell her you have a package that needs to go out to Dr. Isles tomorrow and it's too late to call her in France. Make it sound urgent and important."

"Right. Got it." Angela said as Barry dialed the phone.

Everyone held their breath while the phone rang on the other end. They all knew this was a really long shot, but it was their only chance.

"Uh, yes, hello. My name is Angela Rizzoli. I am taking care of Dr. Maura Isles' house while she is out of the country." There was a pause as Angela listened to the person on the other end of the call. "Yes, oh, you know who I am? Oh that's great. Listen, Maura left instructions for me to send any mail she received over to her in France. Today she received an important package that I need to overnight out to her, but she forgot to leave me her street address in Paris!" There was another pause. "I know, it's crazy. She was in such a hurry to leave that she forgot the most important part! Normally I would call her directly but it's already late in France and I really need to get this package to the post office today before it closes." There was another pause as Angela listened. She smiled at Frost, things were looking up. "No, I believe she is staying in Paris with her mother Constance. So I would need that address. I don't want to misdirect her mail to their other address." Another pause. "Right, thanks, okay, I'll hold."

Angela put her hand over the mouthpiece and whispered "She's looking it up for me!". Korsak and Frost hushed her and handed her a pen and paper. A moment later she was scribbling down an address and repeating it after the woman on the other end of the phone.

"16 rue de Concorde, 23422 Paris, France. Huh. Is that it? What about the state? Oh, I see. And the zip code goes in front of the town? All right. I just want to address it correctly. Thank you so much. I'll be able to get this important package out to Dr. Isles right away now. Thank you. Goodbye."

Angela hung up and Frost gave her a high five.

"Way to go, Mrs. Rizzoli!"

"You're a natural, Angela. Now I know where Janie got her skills from." Korsak beamed.

"Well, we've gotten this far. Now we've got to get Janie to do the right thing." Angela said.

"How exactly are we gonna do that?" Frost and Korsak asked simultaneously.

"I don't know." Angela said. "I think I need to talk to her again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Stay tuned for Angela's heart-to-heart with Jane. She's done trying to get Jane to figure things out on her own, so she's going to lay it all out for Jane. What do you think Jane's next move will be? Let me know in the reviews.
> 
> Oh, and I know the address for Maura in France isn't a real address, but this is fiction, after all. The format is correct, the address, as far as I know, does not exist, so don't go looking for it the next time you're in Paris. :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are really beginning to change now. Angela saves the day! FINALLY. :D A bit of a longer chapter for those of you who felt the last one was too short. I aim to please. ;)

**Just the Facts**

Chapter 8

Angela tried to remember the last time she was in Jane's apartment. It had been months earlier, when Frankie and Barry were bringing Jane's new mattress up to her apartment for her and she had met that woman named Riley. She had heard about Riley, and she was sad that Riley had taken Frankie's spot in the homicide unit, but she knew Frankie would have other chances. Angela did see Jane whenever she was at Maura's house, and that used to be all the time. She knew Jane practically lived there, and she wondered how Jane was managing to cope with this sudden change back to the way things were before Maura had come into her life.

She walked up to Jane's door and knocked softly. She received no response and she wasn't the least bit surprised. She saw Jane's car was parked outside, so she knew Jane was home. She knocked again, a little more forcefully this time.

"Who is it?" Jane demanded crankily from the other side of the door.

"You have a peep hole. You know who it is, Jane." Angela replied.

She heard Jane slide the chain lock open and then open the deadbolt.

"Wow, Jane, you look like shit!" Angela said, looking at her disheveled daughter.

"Ma! Watch your language." Jane replied as she stepped aside to let her mother in.

"I head about what happened at work today." Angela said.

"So you came over to yell at me the same way my boss did?" Jane said.

"No, I came over to see how you were doing. Based on how clean this apartment is, I would say you're miserable."

Jane sighed. "Yeah, I am."

"I miss Maura too." Angela said.

"I also miss Casey." Jane said quickly. Too quickly.

"One day you're going to need to explain to me how you can miss somebody that you never really dated and you never saw and who walked into your life simply so he could cut you out of his." Angela remarked.

"Ma, I've had everybody and their brother give me shit over this. If you're here to harp on Casey too, then you need to leave."

"Watch your language, Janie."

Jane threw her hands up in frustration, and Angela started speaking again.

"I think I know why you want Casey so badly, Jane."

"You do?" Jane looked at her mother warily. Jane wasn't even sure why she wanted Casey at this point. Maybe her mother could explain it to her.

"You want Casey because Casey is the safe choice. You don't want to be some lesbian butch police woman stereotype that gets made fun of by people that have no idea how deep your feelings for Maura run. So instead of loving Maura, you buried your feelings for her. You ran from your feelings and you reconnected with Casey. You looked at him and said to yourself that he would get it. He knows what it's like to put his life on the line day in and day out, so he'd be a good choice. The problem is that you don't love Casey. You love the idea of Casey, and the solution to the problem you think you have that he represents."

Jane waited for her mother to continue.

"But you know, deep down, that Casey never loved you like you think you love him, and you know that you're never going to get over Maura."

"I'm not a lesbian, Ma."

"I don't care if you're gay, straight, bisexual or whatever, Janie! I'm not looking to label you! I just want you to be happy!"

"I just don't understand why everybody thinks that I don't love Casey. I do love him. Why does nobody get that?" Jane asked.

"I think you care about him, because that's what you do, Janie. But I don't think you love him. You love the idea of Casey. I think you love that he could be the perfect cover for you. That you can hide your feelings from Maura while you try to force yourself to love Casey for who he is. And I think you're upset about Casey going in for this surgery because if he doesn't survive it, you're going to be left to face your feelings for Maura. You're more upset about that than you are about his actual need for medical treatment. Think about it, Jane."

Jane stared at her mother in silence. She wasn't ready to admit to anything, other than all the thinking she had done that day, and all the conversations she had had that day were confusing her more than anything else.

"Jane, I just want you to know that I love you. I would never judge you. I know you will never admit it, but I know you're afraid, and I don't blame you. But I'm begging you to open your eyes and look at all the pain you've caused yourself and the pain you've caused Maura. Maybe you'll never see things the way the rest of us do. But at the very least, you need to make things right with Maura. Don't let her run away from her home. Don't lose your best friend over this. Stop torturning her, and stop torturing yourself."

Jane nodded.

"What are you going to do, Jane?" Angela asked gently.

"I honestly don't know, Ma. I need a day or two to think. I have a lot of feelings to sort out, and you know I don't do well with that. So just give me a day or two to figure this out, okay?" Jane asked.

"You need to do more than think, Jane. You need to act, and you need to do it soon. Don't put this off. Don't wait. Every day that passes is a day you waste."

"I know, Ma."

"Oh, Maura left this behind when she left. I don't know if she purposely didn't bring it with her or if it fell out of her bag. I found it on the floor in her bedroom this morning. Maybe while you sit here and think, you should take a look at it." Angela said, taking a large photo album out of her oversized purse and handing it over to Jane.

"Just because she told you to watch the house doesn't mean she gave you license to go through her stuff, Ma." Jane said.

"I know. And I wasn't really snooping. I walked through the house to make sure everything was in order and I saw it sticking out from under the bed. It looks like it fell off of her nightstand. It was open when I picked it up, so I looked at the inside. I'm sure that when Maura comes back she is going to want that back, so make sure you take good care of it."

"I will." Jane nodded.

"I love you Janie." Angela said. "Do the right thing. Forget Casey. He's no good for you. He doesn't love you. But you're so lucky because you have someone that does. Go find her and tell her you love her."

"How could she ever love me after the way I treated her?" Jane asked.

"Oh Janie. Look at how you've treated everyone, and we all still love you. We're just trying to show you where you're going wrong. You are so incredibly stubborn! Don't you understand that it's possible to love someone despite their faults? I love you. I'll say that every day to you until you believe it. Maura loves you too. Despite what you've done, I am sure that she still loves you."

"I love you too, Ma. Even if you're nosy and pushy and..." Jane trailed off, watching her mother's face. "I love you too, Ma." She finished.

"And?" Angela prodded.

"And I love Maura, too. I just don't know if I love her the way everyone says I do."

Angela sighed. "Jane. Open your eyes. Go through that album. You are so ridiculous! I don't know what to do with you."

"Give me some time, Ma."

"No. Stop wasting time. Do something! Bring Maura home!" Angela said.

"Ma, please." Jane said. This was exhausting. Utterly exhausting.

"Janie, I mean it. Stop wasting time."

"Okay." Jane said, because it was all she could say. She couldn't make promises she didn't know that she could keep. She had no idea where any of this left her. All she felt was confusion and exhaustion.

Angela had offered to stay and make Jane dinner, and when Jane had declined, she offered to take her out to dinner. Jane declined again, and told her mother she wanted to think. Angela promised to come running if Jane needed anything, even though she knew that Jane wouldn't call her. It just wasn't in Jane's nature, and she didn't expect Jane to suddenly change. Getting her to just think about what she had asked her to was a major breakthrough. She didn't want to push her luck with anything else, like sudden mother-daughter bonding.

Jane grabbed a beer and settled down on the couch. She grabbed the photo album her mother had dropped off and held it reverently in her lap. She had seen the album in Maura's bedroom before. She never asked what was in it. She assumed it was just like any other photo album in Maura's house, filled with photos of Maura's family and friends. She assumed incorrectly.

Flipping the album open to the first page, she realized this was more than an album. It was a scrapbook of sorts. The first page held a photo of Jane and Maura together at some department holiday party. They sat next to each other at the Dirty Robber, facing the camera, but their heads leaning in toward one another. They both had huge smiles on their faces. It couldn't be seen in the photo, but Jane knew Maura's hand was covering hers under the table. If it weren't for the holiday decorations behind them, this photo could have been taken on any Friday night at the Robber, their positions, their smiles, and the placement of their hands completely normal for the two of them.

Jane looked at the picture. She looked at Maura's smile and she missed it. She missed the closeness between them. She missed it when she sat with Maura and Maura leaned against her, not unlike the moment captured in the picture. Maura was one of the few people she ever allowed to touch her. It took Maura leaving for Jane to realize how much she missed the human contact. Jane closed her eyes and could almost imagine Maura's fingers threaded through her own. Her hand ached to feel that touch again.

The next few pages were filled with various newspaper clippings. Jane looked over the headlines. "Hero Cop Shoots Self to Save Brother, Medical Examiner." "Hero Cop Still Critical". "Detective Stabs Serial Killer that Wounded Her Years Earlier". A black and white print of Jane's police academy identification card graced the second article. It looked like Maura had purchased several local papers, so she could clip all of the articles, even if they all contained the same information in them.

In the margins of the pages there were handwritten notes Maura had made. The date of Jane's shooting. The dates of her surgeries. The date she came home, with a tiny heart next to it. Jane could almost see the relief etched into the paper, just from that tiny heart. She hated that she had caused Maura pain- back then, and now.

More pictures of Jane and Maura together filled the remainder of the album. There were birthday cards from Jane to Maura tucked into the album, along with ticket stubs to concerts and plays and operas they had attended. There was a picture of the two of them at a Red Sox game, Maura decked out completely in team gear even though she'd never been to a game before. Maura always put her heart and soul into whatever she was doing- even if it was something only Jane loved. It was one of the things she loved most about Maura.

Maura had been meticulously recording their time together. Jane smiled at the notes in the margins. Some of them were hilarious. Others broke her heart to read. Page after page of memories filled this album. The last photo was a picture of Jane and Maura together in their softball uniforms just the week before. A note in the margin in Maura's tidy handwriting noted the final score. Jane giggled at the notation. "The Crime Lab won! 6-1. I made it to the first base even without my speed suit. Bought the Homicide Unit beers afterward."

Jane turned the page. There was nothing left to look at, but the album was only about three quarters of the way full. The abruptness of the way the album ended left Jane feeling like there was a gaping hole in her chest. Things weren't supposed to end that abruptly between her and Maura, but that's exactly what the album reflected.

More than anything, Jane wanted Maura to be able to finish filling that album, and she wanted to be a part of those happy memories. She looked through the photos of them together once more and realized just how incredibly happy Maura made her. She could recall every moment when each individual photo was taken, and she could remember how happy she was in each picture.

Frost had been right. Jane and Maura had been dating for years and she never realized it. She wondered if Maura had. The realization splashed over her like a bucket of ice cold water.

She had no idea what she had been chasing with Casey, but it wasn't love. It wasn't even friendship! She couldn't recall a single time she had ever felt even remotely as happy with Casey as she was in any of these photos with Maura. Everything she had with Maura was a million times more meaningful than anything she'd ever had with Casey.

Her thoughts were all over the place. She knew she had to make things right with Maura. She knew her anger toward Maura wasn't justified, and she needed to apologize. She needed to figure out a way to do that. She wasn't sure that calling Maura would convey the right message. She had no idea how she could apologize in person though, with Maura all the way in France.

"Well, that's one problem I know I have to solve." Jane said out loud to the dog. Jo looked back at her quizzically, then went back to pouting on the couch. Jane had put Maura's shirt back in the dirty laundry basket, and at some point during the day Jo had fished it back out. She was perched on top of it again, and the fact that the dog missed Maura so much made Jane want to cry. She missed Maura too. She really did.

Jane sat there and tried to think of what, exactly she was supposed to do with Casey. Casey, it seemed, didn't really have feelings for her. Maybe he did at one point, but he had walked away and told Jane he knew she would find someone else to love. He was trying to be brave and heroic, but he didn't realize he was right. She had Maura.

It felt good to come to these realizations. She knew what her problems were. Now she needed solutions. She needed to find Maura and apologize to her. She needed to tell her that she knew it would take a while and that she'd hurt her badly, but she wanted to be friends again. She wanted to earn Maura's trust, and she wanted to tell her she would do everything she could to never lose it again.

Casey could... she didn't know. Casey could go through with his surgery if that's what he wanted to do. It was his life and his body, and if he wanted to take that massive risk, Jane knew she wasn't in a position to stop him. In fact, she realized, she had never been in that position.

She felt liberated. She knew she wasn't out of the woods here, but she had a major breakthrough under her belt.

"So now I just have to find Maura, and apologize." Jane said it out loud, and she could have sworn the dog smiled at her. Well, maybe the small dog version of a smile. She heard Jo thump her tail on the couch next to her. It was the first time since Maura left that the dog acted even remotely cheerful.

~*~

Maura had spent the better part of the remainder of the week visiting some of her favorite places in Paris. She took an entire day to wander around the Louvre, losing herself in the artwork and the atmosphere there. She tried her best not to think about Jane, but she found herself having moments where she would reflexively look for Jane because she had some fact or piece of trivia to share with her about something. The disappointment she felt when she would suddenly realize that Jane wasn't there, and it was unlikely that she would ever be able to do that with her again was suffocating. She tried hard to just enjoy the places she visited, but the fact that Jane wasn't there to enjoy them with her hurt Maura more than she cared to admit.

Maura hadn't really spent any time planning her next move. She told herself she was putting it off until she came back from Madrid. These few days were hers to mourn and to try to unwind from the stress and the sadness. Even without her parent's fortune, Maura was relatively comfortable, and could do without a paycheck for a while. She didn't have to make a decision about work right away, though she knew the sooner she could immerse herself in cold facts and trusted theories, the sooner she would be able to shake this melancholy that chased her everywhere she went.

Friday afternoon Maura and Constance went out shopping. Maura needed the retail therapy, Constance decided. They visited all the haute couture boutiques, searching for a dress for Maura to wear to the gallery opening. Constance was able to calculate the degree of Maura's depression just by the way she shopped. She held none of her usual enthusiasm for the task. When she watched Maura pass up a gorgeous Christian Lacroix dress without a second glance, she knew she had to take action.

"Darling, you know that dress is perfect for you." Constance said.

"Mhmm." Maura replied, her mind elsewhere.

Constance shrugged and told the saleswoman to put it on the side for them, they would be back later to make a final decision. Constance took Maura by the arm and led her out to the street, where they walked along before stopping at a cafe. Constance had them seated at an outdoor table before Maura returned from her thoughts to the here and now.

"Maura, are you sure you want to come with me to Madrid?" Constance asked gently.

"Yes, of course Mother. Why wouldn't I want to go?" Maura asked, puzzled.

"Well, you aren't showing any enthusiasm for the idea. That dress was perfect for you to wear to the opening, but you didn't even take a second look at it." Constance replied.

"I'm sorry, Mother. You're right. My mind is elsewhere. I keep telling myself I don't have to make any decisions until after I come back from Madrid, but the same questions keep popping up over and over again. It makes it hard to concentrate on this trip, and I'm sorry. I know I'm not being all that helpful and that you probably need me to focus on this opening with you." Maura said.

"Darling, I've been doing gallery openings for many years now. I'm not concerned about that. The opening will take care of itself, I am certain. I am worried about you, though."

"There's nothing to worry about, Mother. I was a fool to think that Jane would simply see things the way I hoped she would. I underestimated her feelings for Casey. By being honest with her, I pushed her away. I deserve how angry she is with me. But that doesn't make it any easier to get over any of this." Maura said.

"Maura, allow me to make myself very clear. You do not deserve the way Jane treated you. She may have been upset with you when you told her what you thought of the situation, but her reaction and her treatment of you were uncalled for. You do have every right to be upset, and I understand your confusion and your uncertainty about your future concerning Jane, but you did not deserve that treatment. Do you understand?" Constance admonished.

"Yes, Mother." Maura said quietly.

The waiter came by and took their order, and they sat there quietly while they waited for their food and drinks. When the waiter came over and placed a glass of red wine in front of Maura and a sparkling mineral water in front of Constance, Maura started speaking again.

"Every fiber of my being tells me to just pick up and leave Boston, Mother. There are other cities with other morgues that could benefit from my skills. But every time I give it serious consideration, and start making plans, it feels all wrong. I can't reconcile staying in Boston and watching Jane make a life with Casey with this feeling I have that makes me need to stay there. I really don't know what to do." Maura said sadly.

"Maura, sometimes you have to go with what your heart says." Constance said gently.

"I used to tell Jane all the time that guts don't think when she said to 'go with your gut'. I think that also pertains to hearts, Mother." Maura said quietly.

"Maura, sometimes you have to leave the science behind and think of what is best for yourself. Boston is your home. You don't have to run from your home because of Jane. You don't have to run from your job because of Jane either." Constance said.

"But Mother, my job means interacting with Jane on a daily basis." Maura pointed out.

"And I know you would be nothing but professional." Constance said.

Maura was briefly reminded of the argument she'd had with Jane after Jane shot Paddy Doyle. Although she wasn't unprofessional, she had been just as antagonistic as Jane had been. She could see how, in the long term, things would have the potential to spiral into the unprofessional.

"Perhaps, or perhaps not, Mother. I really don't know."

The waiter arrived and placed their lunches down in front of them and they stopped talking to eat in a companionable silence.

"I think you should go get that dress, Maura. You'll look stunning in it." Her mother said suddenly.

"Maybe I will." Maura replied, thinking that dressing up might help improve her mood.

In the end Maura had gone back to get the dress, along with one other, and two new pairs of shoes, and matching purses, and some earrings, and a necklace and bracelet. She spent more than she normally made in a month, and didn't bat an eyelash. Later her mother treated her to a haircut, facial and manicure at a posh Parisian spa. It felt good to take part in the things she enjoyed, and for a little while, Jane didn't play so heavily on her mind. Maura thought for a little while that, with a lot of time and plenty of distractions, maybe she could relinquish Jane to her past.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone else want to throw Angela a thank you party? Is anyone else thankful that Jane is finally thinking instead of just acting out? But what about Maura? She's so sad. I just want to hug her, and I wrote the story. What about you?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I have to say about this chapter is FINALLY, JANE. FINALLY. Say it with me now, people.

**Just the Facts  
Chapter 9**

By Saturday morning Jane had started to formulate a plan. She knew she was going to have to apologize to Maura. Beg her to be her friend again. She knew that Maura wasn't going to be pleased with her, but earning her forgiveness was now Jane's number one priority. She hoped that with time, Maura would begin to trust her again. Jane wanted to promise her that she would never run from her again, and that they could rebuild what they had before. And then maybe Jane would tell her that if Maura wanted, they could build more. Jane knew she couldn't expect much, but she had to do something that would open the door. She couldn't let Maura keep running away without her at least knowing how sorry she was.

By nine o'clock Saturday morning, Jane was knocking on Frost's apartment door. She never visited him at home, and she knew after the way she treated him the day before, she had no right to be there. Jane had gumption though, and she planned to use it today.

The door swung open and Jane realized she had pulled Frost out of bed.

"Jane?" He said, clearly shocked at her intrusion into his private life.

"I came over to apologize." She blurted out. "Not because Cavanaugh told me to. I wanted to say I'm sorry for how I spoke to you yesterday, and for how I've been treating you. You were completely right, about everything, and I am sorry for acting the way I did. It was wrong, and I'm sorry."

Frost's jaw fell so far that Jane thought he had somehow disconnected it from the rest of his head. She shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other, waiting for him to say something back to her. When several moments had passed and Frost made no further move to speak, Jane cleared her throat.

"Ahem. Um, right. Well, again, I'm sorry Frost. Um, have a good weekend." She turned as if to leave, and suddenly Frost's arms were wrapped around her from behind.

"Jaaaaaaaane!" He said excitedly, nearly jumping up and down. She turned around, shocked, and that seemed to give Frost the indication that he was hugging Jane, which was generally considered a no-no. "I am so glad you came to your senses! Come in! Let me go put some pants on."

She followed him in and closed the door behind her. Jane realized that Frost had opened the door to his apartment in his boxers, and nothing else. Jane was initially surprised that she hadn't noticed. If Maura had opened the door in something equally as revealing, she would have been rendered speechless. But Frost, a genuinely good looking guy, opened his door for her in his boxers and she needed to have it pointed out to her. "Yeah, Jane. You're not gay. Not at all." She said to herself. "Well, they say admitting you have a problem is the first step toward a solution." She thought, then reconsidered. No, this wasn't a problem at all. This admission was the solution, and she was eager to continue fixing things. She felt herself smile at the realization and her own inner sarcasm.

She sat on the couch while Frost threw some clothes on and looked around. She had only been here one time before, to drop off a few files once while Frost was under the weather. He had been sick and she didn't want to come in, so she had handed the files off to him and left after wishing him well. The apartment was definitely all Frost. She looked at the shelf of dolls- oops, action figures, and the video game consoles on the entertainment center. Based on the amount of dust on the consoles, she figured Frost hadn't had the chance to play in a while. Work kept them all busy most of the time.

When Frost came back he offered Jane something to drink. "Coffee? Juice?" He asked, secretly elated that Jane hadn't just come by, but had also apologized to him. This was definitely a banner day, worth being yanked out of bed this early on a Saturday.

"No, that's all right. I'm good, thanks. I really didn't want to take up a lot of your time, I just felt I owed you an apology and I didn't want to wait until work on Wednesday to tell you."

"That was very kind of you, Jane. Thanks. And I accept your apology." Frost said.

"You shouldn't. I was a real ass to you, Frost." Jane said.

"Jane, I have no idea how I would act in your shoes. It wasn't right of you to lash out at people, but if I were going through what you're going through, I would probably have done something similar. So I accept your apology." He said sincerely.

"Just like that? No poking fun? No ribbing?" Jane asked.

"Oh, believe me, there will be fun poking and ribbing galore. Today's just not the day to do it." Frost responded, completely seriously.

Jane smiled. That was more like the Frost she knew. She almost looked forward to the jokes and the fun-poking. Almost.

"So, talk to me." Frost said.

"I love Maura." Jane said, simply. Relieved to say the words out loud and understand what they truly meant.

"I know." Frost said with a smile. "What are you going to do?" He asked.

"Well, I need to apologize to her, too. And I don't think she's going to be as forgiving as you just were, so there will probably be a lot of groveling to be done. But I have to find her first, because this is the kind of apologizing that has to be done in person. I think I'm going to spend the next couple of days trying to track her down. If I can find her, then I can see if there's a flight to Paris that I can afford."

"Uh huh." Frost nodded his head. "What about Casey?"

Jane sighed. This was going to be the tough part. "I don't love Casey. It took you and my mother to drill that into my head, but I think I finally understand that now. I loved the idea of Casey, but I don't think I actually ever loved him."

"So what are you going to do?" Frost asked.

"I'm going to give him what he asked for. I'm going to give him his space. I'm going to wish him well and hope that the surgery doesn't do him greater harm. Beyond that, that's it. He made it clear he's not ready for a relationship with me, and now, after all this self-realization, I know I don't want a relationship with him either."

"But you know you can't just run to Maura now and pretend like you weren't throwing yourself at Casey for months on end."

"Oh, I do know that. I may be stubborn and foolish, but I'm not that dumb. Gimme a little credit, Frost." Jane said with a smile. "My only intention right now is to find Maura and apologize to her. If I can convince her to come home, that would be wonderful. If I can convince her to be my friend again, that would be even better. And someday, if I can convince her that I love her maybe by then she'll trust me enough to let me."

Frost was grinning. "I know you don't want to hear this, not from me, anyway, but I'm proud of you, Jane."

"Why wouldn't I want to hear that from you, Frost?" Jane asked.

Frost shrugged and looked down at his feet.

"Hey." Jane said, reaching a hand out to touch his arm. "I owe you another apology then. I never tell you this, but you're a great partner. I like working with you, but I love having you as a friend too. I'm sorry I never told you that."

Frost looked up at her and smiled. This was definitely a banner day.

"So how are you going to find her?" Frost asked suddenly.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know where to start. I think there are private investigators that specialize in international skip traces. I could ask contacts at the FBI, but that would be opening the whole Dean can of worms, and I don't want to do that."

"Oh no, you definitely don't want to do that, Jane." Frost said in earnest. "I could help." Frost said simply.

"I can't ask you to do that. I don't want you to think that's why I came here. I really only wanted to apologize. I don't want to make it look like I came here to apologize so I could get you to help me find Maura."

"I know that's not why you came. Jane, you may be many things, but I've never known you to approach the people you care about with ulterior motives." Frost said.

"Don't give me too much credit, Frost. That's exactly what I was planning to do with Casey, even if I didn't realize it at the time."

"Well, I know that you're not here to do that to me. And I can help. I want to help."

"I don't deserve your help." Jane said, close to tears.

"Hey, no crying." Frost said jovially, trying to lighten the mood. "I know where Maura is."

"You do?!" Jane exclaimed, standing up.

"Tracked her down yesterday afternoon with the help of your mother and Korsak. Your mother is pretty amazing, Jane. Now I know where you get your undercover skills from."

"Wait, you all have been trying to find Maura?" Jane asked, amazed.

"Of course. We want her to come home. She's part of our team. She's more than that. She's family."

"How did you find her?" Jane asked.

"We had your mother call up the Isles Foundation and use pretext. They readily gave her the address for Maura's parents in France. Apparently Maura uses you and your mother as emergency contacts in Boston."

Jane didn't know what to say. The idea that they had been working so hard to find Maura and bring her home was in and of itself touching, but the fact that Maura had used her and her mother as emergency contacts spoke volumes about just how deeply their lives were intertwined. With every new revelation, Jane realized just how much she stood to lose. Or perhaps she had lost it already, and that idea scared her even more than coming out did.

"So you know where Maura is staying?" Jane asked hesitantly.

"Well, we have her parent's address. I haven't been able to confirm that she is there, but when Maura spoke to your mother after she arrived, she indicated she had arrived at her parent's house and they were waiting for her to have lunch. It's a hunch, but it's a good one, that she's staying with her parents."

"Oh my god, Frost, she's spoken to my mother?" Jane asked, incredulous.

"Just once, to let her know she got there safely. Your mother hasn't heard from her since then. None of us have." He said sadly.

"Wow." Jane said. She was floored. Her mother had spoken to Maura since she had left, and the three of them had managed to track her down.

"What were you going to do with her address information once you had it?" Jane asked suddenly.

"Well..." Frost started, drawing out the word. "We were going to wait a day or two and see if you came to your senses, and then give it to you. We hadn't exactly worked out what we were going to do if you didn't come to your senses."

"Huh," was Jane's only reply.

"So are you going to go find her?" Frost asked eagerly.

"Yeah, absolutely. I don't know what she's gonna say, or how she's going to react, but I have to apologize to her."

"Great!" Frost said as he whipped out his laptop. "When do you want to leave?" He asked, navigating the web browser to a travel website.

"Um, the sooner the better, I guess. But I gotta clear it with Cavanaugh first." She said.

"It's clear with Cavanaugh." Frost said quickly, typing in information on the computer and not bothering to look up at Jane as he said it.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Oh, he told us once we found the information and gave it to you that you could have as much time off as you wanted. I think he's tired of you emasculating his department, and though he'd never admit to it, he wants to see you and Maura happy too."

Jane shook her head in wonderment. "I should be really pissed off at all of you." She said.

"Yeah, but you're still in guilty puppy mode, so you can't be." Frost grinned.

Jane opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it. Frost was right, once again.

"There's a flight tomorrow night for $1500." Frost said.

"Round trip?" Jane asked, eyes wide.

"No, that's one way."

"Holy shit, Frost! I can't afford that! Is it at least first class?" She asked.

"No. You pay a premium for buying a ticket so close to the date of departure."

"Crap, Frost I just don't have that kind of money. What about later in the week?" She asked.

"Give or take a couple of dollars, it looks like it's the same price all week long. You're better off going sooner rather than later anyway."

"I gotta call my bank. See how much credit I have left on my credit cards." Jane said as she took out her cell phone.

"Jane..." Frost said cautiously. "Don't get mad at me, but I have some airline miles you can cash in. And me, your Ma, Korsak and Cavanaugh pooled together some cash. It's not a lot, but it's enough to get you to France. All you gotta do is get yourself back home."

"I can't do that. I caused this problem, I need to fix it. I can't take anybody's money or airline miles. But thank you."

"Jane, if this situation has taught you anything, please let it teach you to accept help when it's offered. You can think of ways to thank us all when you come back. For now, just book the ticket and go home and pack. "

Jane really didn't want to, but she started crying. In front of Frost. Weeks of hurt and anger and pushing away her feelings had built up to this moment and all she could do was cry. She didn't even know why she was crying. It could have been because she realized just how much she had screwed up. It could have been because of Frost's generosity. It could have been because it may already have been too late to work things out with Maura. It could have been over the realization of just how big of a mistake Casey could have become. It could have been because she hadn't slept properly in days and she couldn't even remember the last time she ate. It could have been all of those things or none of them, but she was suddenly a snot-dripping, trembling, sobbing mess. And she knew that when she felt better, Frost was never going to let her live it down.

"I don't deserve you guys." She said simply.

"We wouldn't have done all of this if we didn't think you deserved it, Jane."

"Thank you." She wept, and walked into Frost's bathroom to get herself cleaned up. By the time she came back out, a printed e-ticket and Maura's parent's address were sitting on the coffee table, waiting for her, and Frost was handing her a cup of coffee.

 

 

~*~

 

Jane raced home after thanking Frost profusely, and hugging him. Twice. She hugged Frost twice. She didn't know who this person was that she was becoming, but she didn't have time to question it. She had to pack, make arrangements for Jo Friday and the baby tortoise that she always forgot about and find her passport. She was certain her passport wasn't expired yet, but she hadn't seen it in months and she couldn't leave without it.

She called her mother as soon as she got home.

"Ma, do you think-" She started, but Angela cut her off.

"Oh Janie! I just spoke to Barry! I am so happy for you!" She gushed.

Jane calmed herself. She owed her mother a huge debt of gratitude. Frost, Korsak and Cavanaugh too. "Ma, thank you so much. For everything. For finding Maura, for the money for the ticket, and most of all, for talking some sense into me. I'm sorry I've been such an ass, Ma."

"Oh Janie, I love you even when you're an ass." Angela said.

"Hey!" Jane squealed, and Angela laughed.

"So you're going to France tomorrow? That's so soon! I hope you can bring Maura back with you." Angela said.

"Well, I hate to ask anything more of you, but do you think you could watch Jo Friday and the tortoise for me while I'm gone?"

"Sure. I'm sure Detective Korsak will also help if I asked him. He loves that little pooch!"

"Thanks, Ma."

"How long are you staying?" Angela asked.

"Well, I have a one way ticket and a reservation for 3 nights at a hotel near where Maura's house is, but I don't know. It might take longer than that to apologize to her. If she won't speak to me at all I might be home sooner than that. These tickets are super expensive though, and I have to try and budget as much as I can."

"I'm sure you'll work it out." Angela said.

"I hope so. I'm scared, Ma."

"I know, baby. But you're the bravest person I know, and I know you'll get through this. I know you'll bring Maura home."

"I'm going to try, Ma. But I can't guarantee anything. I was awful to Maura. She doesn't have to listen to my apology. And even if I apologize, she may just realize that she likes it better in France. The probability of all of this is that she's not going to come home. At least not with me."

"You don't give her enough credit, Janie." Angela said.

"No Ma, I don't think you realize how much damage I've done. It's bad enough that even Maura Isles may not forgive me for it."

"You're forgetting one thing though, Jane."

"Yeah, what is it?" Jane asked.

"She loves you." Angela said simply.

"Well, if she does love me, even after all of this, maybe she'll find it in her heart to forgive me." Jane replied.

"My gut says she will."

"I hope so, Ma. Now I gotta pack and find my passport. I don't know where I hid my passport so it's going to take me a while to find it."

"Oh, it's in your underwear drawer, in a brown manila envelope under your life insurance policy and car insurance paperwork. Next to your vibrator." Angela said sweetly.

"OH MY GOD, MA!"

Angela laughed. "What? I found it one day when I was straightening up. We all have needs, Jane."

'I LOVE YOU AND I THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR ME, BUT I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS." Jane yelled.

"I'll come by tomorrow and pick you up and take you to the airport. This way I can take the pets home with me."

"I don't know Ma, I don't think I can ever look you in the eye again." Jane said.

"Oh don't be ridiculous. Frankie has one of those things, what do you call them? A flashlight? No, a fleshlight. That's it." Angela started.

"You did not just go there. I gotta go. I need therapy." Jane said.

"I'll see you at five tomorrow." Angela said as Jane hung up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Does anyone else think it's weird that Angela knows where all her kids' sex toys are? And can we just take a moment to reflect on the fact that the tortoise Maura gave Jane in season one hasn't been seen since the season opener for season two, when Maura visits Jane and forces her into her police uniform to go to the awards ceremony? Where is that little guy? Someone needs to put an APB out on Jane's baby tortoise.
> 
> Oh, nevermind all of that. We all know there's just about zero continuity on the show anyway. Let's really talk about what happened here instead. Jane has come to her senses! I didn't think that would ever happen. Did you? ;) What about everybody's generosity? Do you think Jane deserved that, after the way she treated them? I'm dying to know what you think, so please tell me in the reviews. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And let the misadventures begin. Or continue, depending on how you look at it. :)

Jane spent the rest of the day packing and thinking about what she was going to say to Maura. She had one chance at this and she didn't want to blow it. She knew she had to apologize to her, and maybe even beg her just to come home. She couldn't hope for more than that. She loved Maura, and was ready to admit to that now, but after what she had done, she knew she was going to have to work hard to get Maura to trust her again. She knew she may have blown her one chance already, but she wasn't going to give up.

By eight o'clock that night she had thought of a hundred things to say to Maura to try and make things right, but none of them sounded right. Everything sounded too contrived. She meant everything she thought of saying and it came right from the heart, but she didn't know if Maura would know that.

Jane decided it was best to let it go for now, and she decided to call Cavanaugh. She thanked him for his efforts to find Maura and for the contribution to her ticket fund, and for approving her time off. He was his usual nonchalant self about everything, but Jane could tell he was pleased she was going to find Maura.

She called Korsak next and apologized to him, then thanked him. He was gracious and friendly, just like she expected. He let her go, saying he would help her mother out with Jo if she needed it. "Bring the Doc back with you." He said as they hung up.

Lastly Jane called Frost. She just wanted to thank him once more. She would never forget what he did for her, and she let him know that. He wished her a safe trip and made it as if he never saw her cry. She really didn't give the guy enough credit.

She fell asleep that night with Maura's photo album on her chest, having paged through it so many times by the time she drifted off that she knew exactly which photos, articles, cards, notes, ticket stubs and other memories were on which page.

* * *

Maura spent the better part of the day on Saturday packing to go to Madrid. The gallery opening itself was on Tuesday, but there was a preview for select individuals the night before. Maura and Constance would be flying into Madrid on Sunday evening in the Isles' private jet. It never struck Maura as odd that her family had a private jet on nearly every continent until she went to work in Boston. It was only then, when she realized that most people she encountered would never set foot on a private jet, that she realized just how fortunate she was.

Maura had two brand new designer dresses to wear; one for the private viewing on Monday night and one for the official opening on Tuesday. She packed everything carefully, admiring each new piece of clothing or accessory as she packed it. She was looking forward to seeing Madrid again. Perhaps if she enjoyed herself while she was there she would stay a few days longer than planned. It had been a while since she had seen the Prado Museum and wandered along the Gran Via. Or perhaps she could take the jet down to Alicante or Ibiza and enjoy a few days on the Mediterranean. Thoughts of sunshine, fresh fish paella and sweet sangria filled her mind. Maura was looking forward to all of the opportunities that she had before her, until she realized that these were experiences she wouldn't be sharing with Jane, and then sadness washed over her once again. She missed Jane and she didn't know how she would ever get over her. She wondered if she called Jane, if Jane would answer for her. She doubted it, and she really didn't want to go through a fresh batch of tears. She wanted to look her best for her mother's opening, and that included not having red, puffy eyes.

Maura wondered if Jane had convinced Casey to postpone his surgery, or if she was busy preparing to stay with Casey at the hospital after his surgery. She wondered if Jane was curled up on the couch, wrapped in Casey's arms. The idea made Maura instantly jealous, and she tried to push it from her thoughts.

She kept telling herself that Jane had never been hers. Jane never saw her as anything more than her best friend. Jane never had feelings for her the same way she had for Jane. Jane had made it clear that she didn't like Maura's opinions of Casey, and she didn't want anything more to do with Maura.

Maura knew she didn't deserve to be treated as badly as she had been by Jane, but she knew she probably could have handled their discussion about Casey better. Before she had met Jane, Maura had never experienced jealousy before. She had also never experienced fear, heartache, overwhelming joy or true love, either.

Before Jane came into her life, Maura had been able to compartmentalize everything. She could scientifically explain every emotion and she was always rational. She never felt any extremes of emotion because she never allowed it. She simply explained everything away and put it in its proper emotional container.

Jane chipped away at that emotional armor until one day Maura felt emotions with the same intensity that a person would feel physical stimuli. Heartache burned like holding her hand against a hot stove. Happiness flushed through her veins the way warm water flowed over her in the shower. And the love, oh the love she felt for Jane was unlike anything else she had ever experienced before. It was like warm sunshine on her face. It was like getting drunk on her favorite wine. It was wonderful, glorious, and terrifying.

She had thought Ian was her one true love. She compared his affections to taking a substance, but like with most substances, the high wears off after a while. The last time Ian left, she knew it was the last time she would see him. He no longer made her feel like she was in love, because she knew by then that she loved Jane. Ian had sensed it too, and there was something final in his farewell. She was upset when he left, but she realized not long after that his departure had opened up a new opportunity for Maura with Jane.

Maura had never taken risks before Jane. She had never deliberately put herself in harm's way before she met Jane. But life with Jane was full of danger, and suddenly she started finding herself in risky situations. She depended on Jane and Jane depended on her. So when Maura realized she was developing feelings for Jane, she didn't try to stop them. She had taken so many risks with Jane before, it just seemed natural at that point to take the risk with her heart.

Jane's pursuit of Casey had hurt Maura. There was no doubt about that. It had hurt worse than watching her pursue Gabriel Dean, because it was so much more serious than anything Jane had ever done with Dean. Even Maura herself had started to look to others to satisfy needs that she was starting to think Jane might never fulfill. But her heart had always belonged to Jane. She hurt, thinking that Jane never felt the same way about her that she did about Jane, but she didn't regret taking that risk with her heart. Every moment she had shared with Jane, every experience she had, every feeling she had felt for the first time had been worth it. She doubted she would have ever found those same feelings and experiences with anyone else.

Maura knew she had to pick up the pieces, that she had to move on. She just didn't know how, and Maura Isles disliked not having all the answers.

* * *

When her mother came by to pick up Jo and take her to the airport, Jane was initially embarrassed. She knew she had bigger things to worry about, but she still could not believe her mother had found her vibrator. That woman was a pro at snooping. Jane wondered if she should change her locks, but then she realized that it would be more of an inconvenience on her part than anything else.

Angela, sensing Jane's nervousness, didn't bring up the vibrator. She hadn't really meant to embarrass Jane, but like all good mothers, she couldn't help but get that dig in with Jane over the phone the night before. Instead she tried to calm Jane a bit.

"Will you call me when you land? Just so I know you're all right?" Angela asked.

"Yes. But I have a couple of connections. I couldn't get a direct flight. I'm flying into New York, then to London, then to Paris. I won't arrive until late tomorrow evening their time. So don't panic if I don't call you right away."

"Okay, I won't. Do you have some cash with you?" Angela asked.

"I am going to exchange some money for Euros when I get into the terminal, but my bank says I should be able to withdraw money from any ATM once I get there. I'll get a better exchange rate that way. So I'll have some Euros when I get there but I'll take cash as I need it once I get there."

"That's good planning, Jane."

"Yeah, I was able to plan that much, but I still don't know what to say to Maura once I see her." Jane said.

"Tell her you're sorry. Tell her you love her. Listen to your heart, Janie."

"I will Ma. Thanks. Thanks again for everything."

They had pulled up in front of the terminal at Logan International Airport and Jane pulled her suitcase out of her mother's trunk, ignoring the odd look the police officer standing guard was giving her mother's Cano Espresso car.

She gave her mother a quick hug.

"Bring her home, baby." Angela said as she hugged Jane.

"I'm going to try my best, Ma." Jane said sincerely.

She heard Jo Friday bark once from the back seat as she watched her mother drive away, and she couldn't help but think that Jo was asking her to bring Maura home too. She added the dog to the list of people she didn't want to disappoint.

* * *

The flight to Madrid had been comfortable. Maura and her mother chatted about mundane topics, both of them careful to avoid talk of home, work or Jane. Maura was conscious of her mother's efforts and she was grateful, but she knew she had decisions to make, and she really needed to make them soon.

They landed in Madrid and a customs officer from the European Union boarded the private craft to check their passports. He was polite and efficient, tipping his cap and giving a quick  _"Bienveniedos"_  after he cleared them and left the aircraft. A ground crew member placed their luggage in the back of the Mercedes limousine that was waiting for them, and before long they were on their way to their hotel.

Maura tried to enjoy the plush luxury of the hotel and the attentive service of the hotel staff, but she found herself mostly thinking of her home in Boston. What she wouldn't give to have Angela hug her, or hear Jane's voice calling up the stairs to her after she popped in following a visit with her mother in the guesthouse.

She pushed those thoughts from her mind as she stepped into the bathroom, ready to bathe and get dressed for a formal dinner with her mother in the heart of the city.

* * *

The flight from Boston to New York was both crowded and bumpy. The commuter jet seemed to be filled to the brim with executives in suits and ties, and there were a few parents with young children thrown into the mix. One such child was crammed into his mother's lap in the seat next to Jane, and he promptly started screaming the second the cabin door was closed and the cabin pressurized. The air pockets and late summer turbulence didn't help to calm him. Jane knew that the pressurization probably hurt his little ears and the movement of the plane probably scared him, but she wished he would just fall asleep. His screaming mimicked what she was feeling inside, and she was too tempted to join him. He screamed for the entire 45 minute flight, and Jane realized belatedly that she didn't have the chance to think of what to say to Maura on that flight. She wouldn't have been able to if she had even remembered to try, because the child's screaming had been so bad.

Jane smiled halfheartedly at the young mother as she gathered up her carry on and her still screaming son and they left the aircraft at JFK airport.

"It's his first flight," the mother said in explanation.

"It's rough on his ears. I understand." Jane said, sounding more understanding than she really felt. She wheeled her carry on to the airtrain that would take her to her international departures terminal and rode it a few terminals away. The last time she had been in New York, the airtrain hadn't been completed yet. She was impressed with its efficiency, and shocked at how long it had been since she was last there. It had to have been at least 15 years. Then again, Jane didn't make it a habit to visit the city that was home to the two sports teams she despised the most- the Yankees and the Giants.

She sent a quick text to her mother to let her know she had arrived in New York, and she waited in the terminal area for her next flight. She was slightly dismayed to see her flight to London was delayed by forty minutes. She had a three hour layover in London, so a forty minute delay wouldn't be too bad, but anything more and she ran the risk of missing her connection. That was all she needed.

She passed the extra time in the terminal, looking at the souvenir shops. She was tempted to pick up a book for herself in one of the Hudson News shops, but thought better of it. Frost, Korsak, Cavanaugh and her mother had pooled their money to get her to France, and she had just enough to pay for three nights in the hotel and the $1500 price tag to come home. Even something as inexpensive as a book would be too much of a tax on her account right now. She also realized she needed to plan more of what she was going to say to Maura. She felt like a kid that hadn't done her homework and was suddenly at school with the teacher waiting in front of her.

She returned to the gate area where her flight would depart and watched people as they boarded at other gates, wondering where they were heading and if they had someone they loved waiting for them when they got there. She wondered what would be waiting for her in Paris. Maura would likely be surprised to see Jane, but would she be angry? Would she give her the chance to apologize? Jane hadn't given Maura a chance to talk to her when she had asked. It wouldn't be all that unfair for Maura to do the same thing to her, though Jane knew that wasn't usually in Maura's nature.

Jane didn't have the chance to dwell on it much because a guy in a Yankees cap dropped into the seat next to her.

"Hey babe, how you doin'? You goin' ta London?" He asked as he openly checked Jane out, the New York heavy in his accent.

Jane looked at him, but didn't answer. She was in no mood to strike up a conversation, but the talking Yankees cap was persistent.

"You speak English, babe?" He asked. "Hablo ingles?" He asked, pronouncing the "h" in "hablo" even though he shouldn't have. Jane wanted to point out that he should have asked "habla ingles?" and she was reminded that by doing so, she would have mimicked Maura perfectly. She missed Maura and her corrections and her factoids. She missed her terribly.

"No." Jane said simply, and got up to walk away. She sat down a little further away, and was so dismayed to see the talking Yankees cap follow her.

"Where ya from, babe?" He asked.

Jane wished her cell phone would ring. She wished she could flash her badge at him. She wished she could pistol whip him, truthfully. But dispatch wasn't going to call, and her gun and her badge were back in Boston. It was going to be a really long night.

She was relieved when they started making boarding announcements for her flight. Being in the tail end of the plane, Jane was able to board right after the first class passengers. She placed her rolling carry on in the compartment above her head and took her seat. She was flying economy and even with nothing under the seat in front of her, her long legs were still cramped.

Jane was busy looking out the window and didn't notice the Yankees cap take the seat across the aisle from her.

"Oh hey, look at that!" She heard him say. "Must be my lucky night! You know what the Mile High Club is, babe?"

Jane looked over and groaned. It was going to be a very long night indeed.

* * *

Jane arrived in London not long after her scheduled arrival time. They had made good time crossing the Atlantic, and it made up for some of the delay they had in New York. Jane had about three hours to fill, and she was hungry. She found an ATM machine and withdrew twenty Pounds. It didn't seem like much, but the exchange rate on her phone told her that was nearly $40. She hoped it would be enough to buy herself a quick lunch and copious amounts of coffee.

She hadn't slept on the plane. She knew she should have, but she spent the majority of the 7 hour flight ignoring the guy in the Yankees cap and trying to figure out how to make things right with Maura. She really hadn't made much progress there, and she realized that until she was face to face with Maura, she probably wouldn't know what to say and do.

Right now she was tired, but the jet lag wasn't too bad. She had been awake longer working on cases, and she could probably stay awake until bedtime that night with an acceptable amount of exhaustion. She would stay awake forever if she could just get Maura to listen to her.

With each leg of her trip, Jane was getting more and more nervous. She wondered if she was stupid to come all this way. What a giant waste of everyone's time and efforts it would be if Maura wouldn't see her. She had to try though. There was simply no other way.

The restaurant in the terminal wasn't very crowded, and Jane looked at the menu outside. A sandwich and a coffee were definitely within her budget. She took a seat and smiled when the server approached her.

"What can I getcha, luv?" The woman asked. Jane loved her accent.

"Can I get the bacon and cheese sandwich and some fries? I mean chips." Jane corrected. "Oh, and can I have a coffee, please?"

"Ah, you sound like yer from far away!" The server said brightly. "Sure luv, I'll get that right out to ya."

Jane grinned as the server walked away. It was the first time she had smiled she Marua left Boston, she realized, and she hoped that was a good sign.

The sandwich and fries came, and Jane was surprised at the bacon. It wasn't anything like she was expecting but it was absolutely delicious. The bacon reminded her more of ham at home, but it wasn't exactly the same. She would have to tell Maura about that. She was sure Maura would have some information about this magical British bacon, or some comment on her eating habits.

Jane stopped with the half-eaten sandwich halfway to her mouth. There was a chance that she might never get to ask Maura about that. She had chased Maura away, told her she didn't want to be her friend anymore. Maybe she would never have the chance to tell Maura things like that ever again.

Jane had a hard time swallowing the food in her mouth over the lump that had formed in her throat. She put the rest of her sandwich down and signaled the server for her bill. She quickly paid the server and left before the tears started to fall.

* * *

Dinner that night had been at a fancy restaurant in the heart of Madrid. Maura was so distracted that she never caught the name of it. Her mother had invited some of her artist friends to join them, and Maura did her best to keep up with the conversation. She didn't know if her mother's friends noticed how quiet she was, or if they thought that was normal. She knew her mother noticed though.

As they were walking back to their hotel, Constance stopped them in front of a cafe. Valor, it said on the outside. There was a long line of Madrilenos waiting outside to be seated.

"Darling, do you remember the night in Boston when we had those delightful shakes with Angela and Jane?" Constance asked.

"Yes." Maura answered, a smile ghosting over her lips at the memory.

"They don't have those shakes here, but they have the most wonderful churros and the best hot chocolate you will ever try at this place. It's worth the wait. What do you say, dear?"

Maura looked at her mother. "I don't know."

"Darling, you hardly ate tonight. Let's treat ourselves. You won't regret it!"

"That's okay, Mother. I'm not hungry and I'm actually rather tired. Perhaps tomorrow after the preview?" Maura asked.

"You can't run away from every situation that reminds you of Jane, Maura." Constance said as she steered them onto the line. "Now come on. We're going to have some delicious dessert and we're going to make some more memories."

Maura started to protest but her mother was surprisingly strong. She waited in line patiently with her mother and was relieved when they were finally seated in the bustling cafe.

"You won't regret this." Constance said.

Maura had to admit that the churros and hot chocolate were delicious. The hot chocolate was so thick, and so rich that she was full after just a small serving. She only thought of Jane once during their dessert, and she quickly changed her train of thought. She may never get to come here with Jane, but she would find someone else to love, and one day they would come here and enjoy this fabulous treat together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I once had a flight attendant on a flight from Manchester, England to Alicante, Spain say the very same thing to me that the waitress said to Jane in London. "Ah, you sound like yer from far away!" It was both amusing and embarrassing, as half the plane turned around to look at me. I thought it fit in here well. Also, I decided that Jane's going to have a thing for people with accents. I do, so why can't she? :) Stick around people, things are just about to get interesting.


	11. Chapter 11

Jane boarded her last flight and settled heavily into her seat. She was emotionally drained and she hadn't even seen Maura yet. She was so eager to get to Paris and see Maura again, yet she was terrified of the possibility that Maura would not see her. Jane understood how mean she had been to Maura, and she wouldn't, couldn't blame her if she wanted nothing to do with her. Jane just hoped that the magnitude of this gesture, of flying so far to say she was sorry, would make Maura give her an opportunity to apologize. There were no guarantees though, and Jane was terrified.

This was a short flight, but Jane decided to try and get some sleep while on it anyway, just so she could be focused when she got to Paris. It would do her no good to be completely out of sorts when she arrived. Despite her nerves, she fell asleep while the rest of the passengers were still boarding, and she didn't wake up again until she felt the landing gear touch down in Paris.

The flight arrived in Paris on time. Jane felt surprisingly well rested despite only sleeping for two hours in the last twenty-four. She surmised that she was running on adrenaline, because normally at this point with this little sleep she would be utterly exhausted. She looked at her watch. It was ten o'clock in the morning at home. That made it 4:00 in the afternoon in Paris. She changed the time her watch and followed the crowd off the plane to go collect her luggage.

Jane was initially confused that there was no one checking passports when she got off the flight, but then she realized that she had come in from the United Kingdom and they probably didn't need passports to travel between those two places. She felt like she was sneaking in to France though, and she didn't like the idea. She looked around one last time for anyone checking for passports for people not from the European Union, and when she didn't see any, she continued to follow the crowd to the luggage carousel.

Jane waited while the carousel started up, watching as one by one the suitcases came down the conveyor belt. She watched attentively while each suitcase arrived and was claimed by its rightful owner. As the crowd around her started to thin out, Jane suddenly realized she had been waiting for quite a while, and it had been a while since a new suitcase had shown up on the belt. She waited a few minutes longer and noticed that the same five suitcases were circling the belt, and none of them were hers. A moment later, the belt stopped altogether.

"Oh no." Jane mumbled. "This isn't happening." Shaking her head, she fished her boarding pass out of her carry on and brought it over to the baggage attendant.

"Excuse me, do you speak English?" She asked.

"Yes, of course," the woman said. Jane liked her accent.

"Could you please tell me where I can find my luggage? I waited at the carousel with my flight number on it, but it's not there."

"Certainly, _madame_. Just a moment, please." The woman started typing on her computer and Jane watched her frown. " _Madame_ , I am so sorry." She said in her heavy French accent. "It seems the person that took your luggage in Boston accidentally entered the wrong airport code for your baggage. They entered CTG instead of CDG. I will put a trace on your luggage right away, and have it flown here immediately."

"Oh." Jane said, confused. "Where exactly is CTG?" She asked.

"Cartagena, Columbia." The woman said with a frown. "Unfortunately it could take two to three days for the baggage to arrive here. The airline must find it first, and they will put it on the first available flight to Paris. Luckily, Cartagena is a large airport, and there are many flights. Again, I am so sorry."

Jane ignored the voice in the back of her head that told her she deserved this. That this was going to be one of many complications on an already difficult trip. Instead she asked "So what do I do? Do I come back in two days to check for it?"

"No, no, we will bring the luggage to you. Please, can you let me know where you are staying and your mobile number and the date of your departure? Please if you could put it all on this form for me."

Jane filled out the form and gave the address of the hotel where she was staying. "I honestly don't know how long I will be here." Jane said. "It could be two days, it could be two weeks. I don't know."

"Well, I will indicate that we should call you on your mobile when the luggage is found. You can tell us where you are and we will forward the luggage to you. You can also phone us on this number to enquire about the luggage and let us know if your plans change. I also have this kit, it contains some toiletries and a t-shirt, so you have something to wear tomorrow. Please accept my profound apologies once more."

"Thanks," Jane said half-heartedly. She took the claim receipt and the kit and headed toward the taxi stand.

 

~*~

Monday morning dawned bright and early for Maura. She woke up and decided a jog was in order. It had been ages since she had been for a run, and the endorphins would be good for her.

"Mother, I'm going for a run at the Parque del Retiro. I will be back in a couple of hours."

"Enjoy yourself darling, and do be careful." Constance replied, happy to see Maura had somewhat come out of her depressed mood from the evening before.

"I'll be back in plenty of time before the preview." Maura said.

Constance waved at her as she went to go get ready. She would be spending most of the day at the gallery preparing for the preview and was glad Maura was finding things to occupy herself with.

Maura started her run at the entrance to the park. Within a few minutes she had her pace set. It felt good to get her heart rate up, and the fresh air was doing wonders for her mood. She followed the footpaths, mostly empty at this early hour. She let her feet lead her, and didn't think much about where she went.

Inevitably her thoughts returned to Jane, work and Boston. She realized that today was the day of Casey's surgery, and that in a few hours Casey's life could change radically. She worried for him, and hoped he would survive. Jane must be beside herself with worry. Maura thought. I should call her. Just to let her know she is in my thoughts today.

Maura pondered the idea for a bit before letting it go. Jane didn't want to hear from her, especially today, the day of Casey's surgery. Maura knew the day was going to be traumatic enough for Jane, she didn't need to add any additional stress to the day by calling her. Calling her was likely the right thing to do, but Maura decided the emotional toll on herself and possibly on Jane wasn't worth the rightness of it. She continued her run.

The longer she ran, the clearer her mind was. She finally felt relaxed enough to think about where she was, and where she needed to go from here.

Maura thought about her job. She loved her job, but part of the reason she loved it so much was because of Jane. If she took Jane out of the equation, she knew that she would be miserable at work. Seeing Jane every day, having to interact with her at crime scenes, it was all too much. Watching Jane meet Casey at the Dirty Robber when that used to be "their" thing would just be a slap in the face.

At the same time, Maura had a house and a career in Boston. A house that she loved and a career that she loved. She loved Jane's family, too, and she liked having Angela around. Angela didn't seem the least bit put off by the fact that Jane wasn't speaking to her. Angela cared about her, even if Jane didn't anymore. Why should she have to give all that up?

Could she learn to live in Boston without Jane? Could she learn to live anywhere without Jane? Deep down Maura knew that wasn't what she wanted. She still wanted Jane and the idea of severing all ties with Jane and her family, her job and her colleagues was still too much to even think about.

There was only one thing to do. She had to go back. She could try it out for a little while. If things were too painful for too long, she could sell her house and move to another city. With her credentials and her success, Maura would have no problem getting a job in her pick of cities. Anything she decided here and now didn't have to be permanent. If it became too difficult for her to return to her prior Queen of the Dead persona, she could pick up and leave.

She couldn't hide in Europe forever. That simply wasn't an option. She would take a week, maybe two, just to gather her wits and relax and then she would head back to Boston.

Feeling calmer than she had in a week, Maura finished up her run and headed back to the hotel. It felt good to have sorted out a few things. If she kept this up, taking small steps, it could definitely be possible to move past Jane and all the pain that was associated with her. All she needed was time, and without Jane, all Maura had was time.

 

~*~

Jane stopped at an ATM in the airport and withdrew some Euros. Yesterday she had mapped out how far it was from the airport to Maura's parents' house and she had tried to gauge how expensive the taxi ride should be. Based on what she had read on the internet, the fee shouldn't be too unreasonable. The hotel was just as far from the airport, and was within a mile of Maura's house. She had planned to walk to Maura's house from the hotel, but now that she didn't have any luggage other than her rolling carry on, she thought it would be a good idea to just go directly to Maura's. It was getting late, and she didn't want to arrive there at a time that would be considered rude or inconsiderate.

Then again, showing up unannounced after what she had done to Maura was already pretty inconsiderate. But would it be worse to show up later?

_Oh screw it!_ Jane thought. _Let me just get there before I lose my nerve. The hotel will still be there when I'm done._

And with that, Jane hopped into a cab that whisked her away to Maura's parents' house.


	12. Chapter 12

When the cab pulled up in front of the Isles' house, Jane whistled under her breath, not at all unlike the cab driver that had taken Maura here earlier in the week. She hadn't even set foot on the property and already she was intimidated by the place. She wondered how Maura could ever consider staying in Boston when she could live here, among such culture and opulence. This was going to be a bigger battle than Jane had anticipated, and she was already anticipating the next few minutes to be some of the most difficult of her entire life.

She stepped out of the cab and took her carry on bag from the driver, paying him and hoping the tip she gave him was satisfactory. Jane was always unsure of tipping, and she tended to over tip, but she had no idea what was considered customary in France and just hoped the driver wouldn't be insulted by the amount. Based on the smile and the wave that he gave her as he drove away, she figured she hadn't done too badly with the tip.

As Jane rolled the carry on toward the front door, the front door swung open and an elderly man smiled at her. As she got closer, Jane realized that this was not Maura's father. He was too old to be Maura's father, and Jane had seen photos of Maura's father in Maura's house. Jane had no idea who this man was, and for a fleeting instant she feared the cab had dropped her off at the wrong house.

"Ah, _bonjour_." Jane said hesitantly, cringing at her pronunciation of the only word in French she knew aside from _"merci"_.

"You must be Jane." The man said with a twinkle in his eye. Jane felt relieved she was in the right place, but confused as to how the man knew her. He sensed this and he continued. "I've seen you in many of Maura's photos. You are, how you say... very recognizable." He smiled at her. "I am Henri, and I have been the housekeeper here since Maura was a tiny girl. She is like a daughter to me. Please, do come in. I will get Dr. Isles."

Jane stood in the large entryway and rubbed the scars on her hands. She was afraid of what Maura would say when she saw her. She was afraid Maura would just throw her out of the house. She was afraid, and Jane Rizzoli hated being afraid. It took every bit of Jane's will to not just run away from this. She heard two men speaking animatedly in French and wished she'd learned more than just a handful of words in the language. The words sounded excited, but not angry. That was a good sign, right? Surely if Maura were angry the tone of the words the men were speaking would be angry too. But Jane didn't hear Maura at all, and that worried her. Maybe she would refuse to see Jane at all. Jane began to fidget, wondering if this really had been a good idea. She looked around the entryway and felt very out of place.

"Jane?" She heard a man say from across the foyer. It was Dr. Isles, but not the doctor she was looking for.

"Um, hi, Dr. Isles. It's uh, it's great to meet you. I'm sorry to just show up here, but I was looking for Maura."

"Jane, I'm so sorry, you've obviously come so far, but Maura isn't here. She's in Madrid with her mother."

Jane couldn't believe her ears. Whether it was from the exhaustion from so little sleep or the stress from all the drama she had created or the sheer force of the disappointment she felt, Jane suddenly felt like her legs were going to go out from under her. Dr. Isles sensed this, and took her gently by the elbow.

"Please, come in, Jane. Please come in and have something to eat and drink, and let's talk."

Dr. Isles motioned to Henri and he took the carry on bag from Jane, and Jane followed Dr. Isles into what had to be the world's biggest dining room in a stunned silence.

Dr. Isles pulled a chair out for Jane and she sat in it gingerly, afraid her usual flouncing would break the delicate and obviously expensive piece of antique furniture. Dr. Isles sat a short distance away from her. Forgetting her manners, Jane put both elbows on the table and dropped her head into her hands. She was so close to crying, and that wouldn't do her any good right now.

"I take it that you and Maura had a falling out." Dr. Isles said.

"It was more than a falling out. I was horrible to her. I came here to apologize. I came here to beg her to come home." Jane figured honesty was the best policy here. Maura had clearly filled her family in on what Jane had done, and there was no point in trying to make herself look good to them.

"I figured as much. Maura doesn't just show up here unannounced. I knew something had to be wrong." He said.

Okay, so maybe she hadn't filled them in.

"Maura didn't tell you what happened?" She asked.

"I'm sure she told her mother. They're closer than Maura and I are. Constance simply told me that Maura was upset, and looking to spend some time here with us while she made some decisions. Constance had a gallery opening in Madrid and invited Maura along to distract her a bit."

"I see." Jane said. "How long will she be in Madrid?"

"Until Wednesday."

Great. Jane had exactly three days booked at the hotel and Maura wasn't due to come back until the day she was scheduled to check out. She should have paid more attention to the nagging voice in the back of her head that taunted her while she waited for the airline attendant to find her luggage.

Dr. Isles' kind voice interrupted her thoughts. "How long were you planning on staying in town?"

"I booked three days at the Hotel Dupree, but my plan was to stay until I could convince Maura of how sorry I am, and convince her to come home. I, we, my whole family and the people we work with all miss her and I screwed up and I hurt her so badly and all I wanted to do was tell her how sorry I am-" and suddenly Jane was sobbing, uncontrollably sobbing. She knew it was awkward and probably something Dr. Isles had never encountered, considering his largely hands off approach to rearing Maura.

"Oh dear, oh, please, Detective please don't cry. It's okay! This isn't the end of the world."

"Yes it is. I barely had the money to get here. I don't have the money to find Maura in Madrid. I don't even have my luggage because the airline sent it to Cartagena instead of Paris. I knew this wasn't going to be easy but everyone is going to be so disappointed in me when I come back without her. I need her. I just wanted to tell her I'm sorry!" Jane wailed.

Jane felt Dr. Isles put a hesitant hand on her shoulder. "Please, Jane, please, don't cry. First of all, forget the hotel. You can stay here tonight. And tomorrow morning, I'll have the jet take you to Madrid. And you'll stay in the same hotel where Maura and Constance are staying. Henri will take you shopping tonight, before the shops close and you'll find a dress. Tomorrow you're going to Constance's gallery opening, and you'll need to be dressed up for that."

Dr. Isles beamed at Jane, the plan he had just cracked making him smile. Maybe he couldn't fix things between Maura and Jane, but he could facilitate the attempt. He hated seeing Maura so sad, and if the detective wanted to fix things, he would help her try.

Jane smiled weakly at Dr. Isles. "Sir, I can't do that. I was a horrible person to Maura. If she knew that I was here, she would probably tell you to kick me out. You probably should kick me out."

"Jane, you said you're here to apologize to her. I won't argue with you if you say that's necessary. I don't know many people who would fly to another country to apologize to someone, so I'm thinking it must be pretty big. If it's that big, I'm going to help you do it. Please. I know you must be tired but the shops here don't stay open as late as they do back at home. Let me get you something quick to eat and then Henri will take you shopping. We can discuss everything later."

Jane nodded, suddenly seeing where Maura got her innate kindness from.

"Dr. Isles, I don't know how I could ever repay you for any of this." Jane said quietly. "I really don't deserve it."

"Nonsense. Maura absolutely adores you. I don't know what happened between you, but if I can help smooth things over between you two, it will be worth it to see my daughter happy again."

"Sir, if she gives me the chance, I promise I will never hurt her again."

"I believe you." He said simply.

Henri came in with a sandwich and a glass of milk. It was like he knew just what would make Jane feel the most at home in this strange place. She smiled at him gratefully.

As Jane ate, Dr. Isles excused himself and said he had to make a few phone calls. He would be back before Henri took her shopping. Henri sat next to her at the table.

"I am sorry Maura is not here. I am glad that you will go to her in Madrid. Maura is very dear to me, and I am sad when she is sad."

Jane could tell that Henri's English was proficient but not perfect. She could read the emotion in his words without him saying much more.

"Maura is very dear to me too, Henri. I hope she will give me the chance to let me tell her that, and prove it."

Henri squeezed her arm and then took the empty plate and glass from Jane. "The wash room is off the front hall. Please feel free to use it. I have placed your baggage in Maura's room. It's the only room ready for guests right now. I hope you won't mind."

"Thanks." Jane said, wondering if it would be awkward to sleep in there tonight.

Jane washed up and found Maura's room upstairs. The room wasn't difficult to discern from all the others. It was one of the few fully furnished rooms in the house, and the room absolutely screamed Maura. Jane surmised that the Isles' traveled too much to keep all the rooms ready for guests. Jane walked into Maura's childhood bedroom and looked at the bookshelves that lined every wall. Near the bed a microscope sat on one of the bookshelves. It was clearly loved in a way that only Maura could have loved it. Jane ran her fingers over the worn knob near the viewfinder and over the slightly chipped paint on the back of the scope. That chip must have made Maura nuts, Jane thought before looking for her carry on bag.

Jane grabbed her cell phone from her bag and turned it on. It picked up a network pretty quickly, and she dialed her mother's cell phone.

"Janie?"

Jane was so relieved to hear her mother's voice. "Hey Ma."

"Are you okay, baby? Did you get to Maura's house?"

"Yes, I got here. There's a problem though. Several, actually."

"Oh no, Jane, she won't speak to you?" Angela asked.

"No, I haven't even gotten that far. She's not here. She's in Spain with her mother."

"Oh no, Jane! She told me she was going to France!" Angela wailed.

"She's due back here on Wednesday. Her father-" Jane's voice caught, still amazed at the generosity Dr. Isles had shown her. She took a deep breath before trying again. "Her father is going to fly me to Spain in the morning. He's putting me up in the house here tonight so I don't have to pay for a hotel. And he's having his housekeeper drive me into town so I can get a dress to wear tomorrow at the gallery opening for Maura's mother tomorrow."

"Oh my, Janie, that's too much!"

"I know. I tried to tell him that I don't deserve any of this. I told him I came here to apologize to Maura and to beg her to come home. And he just said that he wanted to help me do that."

"That's amazing, Jane."

"I know, but I have no idea how to repay him. And what if he does all these things for me and Maura doesn't want anything to do with me? Then what do I do?"

"Don't worry about that now. Just go with it. Be grateful for his kindness, and be a good house guest. Remember to say please and thank you!" Angela admonished.

"I will. I have to go, the shops are going to close soon and I have to get a dress. And everything else because the airline lost my luggage."

"Ugh, Jane, how awful! All right, go do what you need to do, and call me tomorrow. Good luck, Janie. I love you."

"I love you too, Ma. Bye."

"Bye Janie."

Jane disconnected the call and put the phone in her pocket. She grabbed her wallet and walked back downstairs to meet Henri.

Dr. Isles was waiting for Jane when she got downstairs.

"I hope you don't mind, but I've taken a few liberties. I called the Hotel Dupree and canceled your reservation as you won't need it and I don't want them to charge you for it. And Henri will drive you to the boutique Maura loves so much. I've gotten you an emergency appointment with one of their stylists. They will fit you for a dress and do all the things women do when they go dress shopping." He shrugged. "They will also help you with some other odds and ends such that you may need until your luggage arrives. I've instructed them to put everything on my account."

Jane opened her mouth to protest, and Dr. Isles held up a hand to cut her off. "Please Detective, I mean you absolutely no disrespect, but I do not think a Boston detective has the funds for the dresses at this boutique. Constance tells me that your mother treats Maura like her own daughter. So please allow me to return the favor, and treat you as if you were my daughter. I would do this for Maura, and I hope you will allow me to do this for you."

"Dr. Isles, this is so kind, and so generous of you, but you must understand that I treated your daughter very badly. I will gladly tell you what I did if it makes you understand that I definitely do not deserve this kindness and this generosity from you."

"Nonsense. I can sense the degree of how bad things are just based on the fact that you flew here, unannounced, to look for her and apologize. I'm simply facilitating that. Now, it's getting late, and I don't want the shop to close before you get there. Henri will take good care of you. I need to make arrangements for the jet for the morning, so please excuse me."

Henri came up beside Jane and smiled at her. "Ready, _madame_?"

_"Oui."_ Jane said with a smile.

* * *

 

Constance was busy at the gallery, making last minute changes before the preview that night when her cell phone rang.

"Hello Darling," She said to her husband.

"Darling, you're never going to believe who was just here."

"Who?" Constance asked.

"Jane Rizzoli."

"In France?" She asked, astounded.

"Yes, she flew here to see Maura. Said she wanted to apologize to her and beg her to come home. Those were her exact words, and based on how upset she was when she said them, I believed them to be true."

"No!"

"Yes! So here's the plan..."

Constance listened as her husband outlined the efforts he was making to get Jane to Madrid, impressed with his ideas.

"Darling," Constance said after her husband finished. "You do realize that our daughter has romantic feelings for Jane, right?"

"Yes, I surmised as much."

"And you're all right with that?"

"Yes. I don't see Maura often, but I know that she's happiest when she is with Jane. I want her to be happy. I don't think she'll ever be happy without Jane."

"Good. I'm glad we're on the same page. I'll do my best to encourage a reconciliation between them, but if Maura decides it's too much, I won't force anything on her."

"I agree. My intention is simply to get the two of them together and let them work things out on their own. There's no need for us to influence anything."

"Thanks for the warning. Based on Jane's behavior at another of my gallery openings, it's good to have some forewarning of her arrival." Constance said with a laugh. " _Au revoir_ , Darling." Constance said as she hung up the phone.

Things were definitely taking an interesting spin.

* * *

 

Jane tried her best to be patient while the stylist measured her. She tried not to fidget when she had been standing still for too long. She tried not to groan at the thought of wearing a dress. She reminded herself over and over again that the Isles were doing her the biggest favor of her life and she needed to be immensely grateful. Still, dress shopping sucked, no matter what country it happened to occur in.

The stylist handed off Jane's measurements to an assistant and gave instructions in rapid-fire French. Jane had no idea what the stylist had said, and she was almost afraid to find out.

"What size shoe do you wear?" The stylist asked her in perfect English.

"A size nine." Jane responded, and the stylist frowned.

"Do you know your size in Europe?" She asked.

"I didn't know the sizes were different." Jane said honestly.

"Don't worry." The stylist said, waving her hand. She eyeballed Jane's bare foot and called out to the assistant again. Before long a rack of dresses was in front of Jane and a pile of shoe boxes was growing next to her.

Henri had disappeared at one point, saying he would be back to pick up Jane in a little while. He had errands to run and would do them while Jane was being fitted. Jane was relieved that she wouldn't have to do a fashion show for the man. He seemed nice, but all of this seemed too surreal for her.

Jane tried on four dresses, and the stylist shook her head at each one of them, yelling things in French to the underlings that were running in and out with different articles of clothing. On the fifth dress, the stylist finally stopped yelling at her assistants.

"Turn around." She said to Jane.

Jane turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. Jane was never one to enjoy wearing a dress, but she had to admit that the maroon dress looked stunning on her. It hugged her in all the right places, and the skirt fell to just above her knees. The length was just long enough to be formal, but short enough to show off Jane's long legs. The dress was sleeveless, and showed off her toned arms.

"Wow," Jane breathed.

"Indeed." The stylist said. "I think we've found the right dress."

"Okay." Jane said, smiling at the stylist in the mirror.

"Take it off, please, and we will package it up for you. There are a few other items I need you to try on."

Jane took the dress off and kept her back to the stylist.

"Oh _mon_ _dieu_!" The stylist cried. "That must have hurt!"

Jane grimaced. The stylist had seen the scars from her exit wound on her back. "They did," Jane responded out loud, then added "but they're nothing in comparison to the pain of losing Maura." in her head.

By the time Jane was finishing at the boutique, she had one dress, one pair of matching heels and a matching clutch. She also had two pairs of designer jeans, a summer weight sweater, three shirts, three t-shirts, two pairs of the shortest shorts she had ever seen, and and a week's worth of undergarments so sexy Jane would have never considered buying them for herself. "Did people really wear those things under jeans and t-shirts?" she wondered silently. Perhaps if they were expensive designer jeans, they would.

"Do you have shoes to wear with these outfits?" The stylist asked.

"I have the shoes I came in wearing, they should be fine." Jane said, hesitant to spend even another penny of the Isles' money.

The stylist sniffed and then barked something to her assistant. A minute later a pair of sandals and two pairs of flats also wound up in the pile.

"This is too much." Jane said worriedly.

"Dr. Isles said to make sure you had enough clothes for your stay. It is not too much." A gentle male voice said from behind her. Jane turned around to see Henri waiting for her. "I heard your dress is stunning."

"It is pretty." Jane acknowledged.

"On you, nothing could be less than beautiful." Henri said, and Jane suddenly realized why the French had a reputation for being romantic.

"Thank you."

The assistants began to package everything up for Jane and Henri started taking the packages out to the car. Jane pulled the stylist aside.

"This is awkward, but I'm not familiar with how things work in France. Can I tip you for all of your help?" Jane asked.

"Oh, it's all taken care of. The Isles family are our best customers. Helping out a member of their family is my pleasure. And Dr. Isles specifically said you may try to offer to pay for these purchases, not to take a single Euro from you." The stylist said with a smile.

Jane blushed. She wasn't a member of the Isles family, and she didn't know how Maura would react to seeing her, or knowing how much of her father's money she spent. Jane felt an odd mix of elation, guilt and trepidation.

"Well, thanks." Jane said as she took the remaining items from the assistant and walked toward Henri and the car.

By the time Jane and Henri returned to the Isles home, Dr. Isles had made all of Jane's travel arrangements for the following morning. He had arranged for the Isles' private jet to fly Jane into Madrid. There, a car service would take her directly to the hotel where Maura and Constance were staying. A room had been booked for her there. The same car service would take Jane to the gallery opening that night, and that is where Jane would finally be able to speak to Maura. Depending on what happened with Maura, Jane would be welcome to return to France with them in the private jet the following morning, or she could stay in Madrid, or she could return to Boston. Dr. Isles said that regardless of the outcome of her visit, he would gladly help her get home, all she had to do was call him on the number he provided to her.

Jane thanked Dr. Isles profusely and then followed Henri upstairs, where he had laid out the clothing Jane had just obtained as well as numerous toiletries, hair brushes, and a number of other items alongside what looked like a brand new suitcase.

"I didn't know what you usually used, so I purchased the items Maura usually uses. I hope you can use them."

"Thank you, Henri." Jane said, amazed.

"The flight leaves tomorrow morning at eight o'clock. I know it is early, but you will need time to arrive in Madrid and get ready for tomorrow night. Would you like help packing?"

"That's okay, Henri. But thank you. I'm going to pack and then I'm going to go to sleep. I've been awake for nearly two days now."

"Okay Jane. The bathroom is down the hall. You will find everything you need to take a bath or shower in there. In the morning I will have breakfast for you. Is six o'clock too early for breakfast?"

"That's fine, thank you." Jane said."Thank you for everything, Henri. I owe you and Dr. Isles such a debt of gratitude."

"Just make Maura happy. That is all the thanks any of us could ask."

"I'm going to try my best." Jane said, and added Henri and Dr. Isles to the list of people she didn't want to disappoint.

Jane set the alarm on her phone to go off at five o'clock. She packed quickly, taking care to handle the designer clothes she had just received with care. She had to admit that she looked good in them, and she hoped Maura would take notice.

Once she had everything in her suitcase, she dashed down the hall for a quick shower. She felt grimy from traveling and she was exhausted. Not long thereafter, Jane was ensconced in Maura's bed, and she could smell her familiar scent all around her. It was all she needed to fall into a deep, restful sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Maura arrived for the preview on Monday night and could tell right away that something was going on. Her mother was distracted, and if Maura wasn't mistaken, she was avoiding her, giving excuses to do mundane tasks she normally gave to her assistants to do.

"Mother, is everything all right?" She asked. The last thing she needed was her mother avoiding her. What was it about Maura that people felt it was okay to do this to her? Did her mother not understand that she came here with her mother to get over how Jane was avoiding her?

"Yes, of course. You look wonderful, darling." Constance was obviously trying to change the subject, and it grated on Maura's nerves.

"Thank you. You do too. But you seem a bit distracted."

"I'm just concerned about the preview tonight. There were a few... surprises today during the setup. Everything should be running smoothly now though." Constance said and smiled at Maura. Maura felt better when she saw her mother's smile. Maybe it did just have to do with the preview, but she didn't think that was all that was going on. It made Maura nervous.

A few moments later the two women were approached by a wealthy art collector, and Maura didn't have the chance to question her mother further. She had seen her mother before a gallery opening, and she had never once looked as distracted as she had that night. Maura was definitely intrigued and more than just a little anxious.

Hours later the preview was over. Her mother had several offers for her artwork that, provided no one made a higher offer the following day, would be sold as soon as the opening was over. Maura was proud of her mother. Some of the pieces she would sell would set a new personal record for her mother as far as price was concerned. It was good to see her mother flourishing, especially after the injuries she suffered earlier in the year.

As they headed back to the hotel, Maura once again tried to find the source of her mother's distraction. Her mother was quite good at being evasive though, and Maura was unable to pin her down. They walked into the hotel lobby in a frustrated silence. As they waited for the elevator, Maura felt her mother looking her over.

As the elevator doors closed, Constance finally spoke. "I forgot to ask you. How did your run go this morning?"

"Very well, Mother. The Parque was as beautiful as I remembered it. The exercise was good for me. I was able to think clearly for the first time since everything happened with Jane. I think I'm finally able to start doing what it takes to move on."

Constance tried to hide her surprise. "Well, darling that's wonderful. Have you come to any conclusions?"

"A few, yes." Maura said, purposefully obtuse. She wasn't capable of lying, but she had learned the art of evasion from the woman standing next to her in the elevator. Two could play at that game.

Constance seemed to sense Maura's unwillingness to discuss anything further. "Well dear, just make sure you don't do anything too brash. It's only been a week. There's still time for things to change. Things may end up working out in a way you didn't realize was possible. Keep that in mind."

Maura tried to read her mother, but couldn't tell where she was coming from. "What's that supposed to mean, Mother?"

"Nothing, darling. Please, it's been a tense night for us both. Let's not argue. The only thing I meant was that you shouldn't make any decisions too quickly. Give yourself some time to calm down and evaluate all of your options."

"Of course, Mother. Though I don't know what you think is going to change at this point, and I can't hide in Europe forever, as much as I enjoy spending time with you and Father."

"No, you can't. You have dreams to chase and goals to set. Good for you for looking for ways to do that."

Maura didn't understand half of what her mother was talking about, and she was too exhausted, both physically and emotionally, to question her mother further. The elevator doors opened on their floor and Maura walked out without responding. She'd had enough of all of this drama. All she wanted at this point was a warm bed and the oblivion of sleep.

* * *

 

Jane jumped when her alarm went off at five o'clock. She was initially scared, she had no idea where she was. Then the events of the last few days finally caught up with her, and she relaxed, knowing she was in Maura's room in her parents' house in France. She hugged the pillow closer to her for a moment, taking a deep breath and faintly smelling Maura's shampoo. It was like a little piece of heaven to Jane.

Jane couldn't believe she had chased Maura all the way to France. Or that when she came to beg her to come home, Maura had skipped to Spain. After the way she had treated Maura, she didn't think she deserved anything less than this snag in her plans, but it was still frustrating. She was so close to Maura but still so far away. One thing was certain. She wouldn't stop chasing until she found Maura and apologized to her, even if she had to chase her around the world and bankrupt herself in the process.

She also couldn't believe the kindness of Dr. Isles. He had done so much for her knowing she had hurt Maura, just because she had said she wanted to try and make things right with her. He gave her a chance when she had been unwilling to do the same for Maura. He knew she didn't deserve an ounce of his kindness, yet he gave it anyway. It was asking for too much, but Jane hoped Maura would be the same way, would give her a chance even though she hadn't. She didn't want to think about what she would do if Maura refused to speak to her, or told her that she wanted nothing more to do with her. Jane didn't know what she would do without Maura, and she cursed herself for letting things get to this point.

Jane wanted to stay in that bed, wrapped up in Maura's blankets, smelling her shampoo on the pillow, soaking in her very being from the surroundings in the room. She knew that this could very well be the last time that she would be this close to Maura, even though Maura was still a half a continent away. The thought scared her, but she couldn't hide away here forever.

Instead, she got up reluctantly and got dressed. She could hear Henri puttering downstairs, presumably making her breakfast. She wondered if Dr. Isles would be up, and if she would have the chance to thank him once more.

Jane made the bed and gathered up the few items she had left out from the night before, placing them into her suitcase. She had slept in the t-shirt that was included in her lost luggage kit from the airline, because she had no pajamas with her, and no one had thought to pick any up during their shopping spree the night before. The t-shirt was labeled "one size fits most" but on Jane's skinny frame it was as big as a tent. It had been comfortable enough to sleep in and she supposed she would just use that as her pajamas for the rest of her trip, however long that would be.

She took one more look around Maura's bedroom and then carried her suitcase downstairs, where Henri was just coming out of the dining room.

"Ah, Detective, I would have carried that for you!"

"It's okay, Henri. It wasn't heavy. Thank you."

"You look beautiful in your new clothes."

"Thank you. Is Dr. Isles up this early? I would like to thank him once more."

"He is in the dining room. I am just getting ready to serve breakfast. Please make yourself at home."

Jane walked into the dining room and found Dr. Isles engrossed in a newspaper. He looked up when Jane walked in.

"Good morning, Jane. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, sir. Thank you. I just wanted to thank you again for everything. I don't know how things are going to turn out between Maura and I, but I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that I am so grateful to you and I will never forget what you've done for me. I don't know how I can ever repay you for your generosity, or your kindness."

"Jane, when Maura is in Boston, and things are not strained between the two of you, who does she spend the holidays with?"

"My family and I, sir."

"And on her birthday, who takes her out to celebrate?"

"Usually me, and the rest of the homicide detectives."

"And when Maura has a problem, needs a friend, or just wants something to do on a Friday night, who does she normally call?"

"Me, sir."

"Have you ever expected repayment in some form from her for doing the things a friend would normally do?"

"No, sir, but she lets my mother live in her guesthouse and she's always so generous with me to begin with. The things you mentioned are small in comparision to what you did for me. What you did went above and beyond."

"Nonsense. These are all things that friends do for one another. All I am asking of you is that when you see my daughter again, you treat her with the same kindness and generosity that I've treated you. It shouldn't be hard for you, you've been doing it with her for years. I realize that things are bad between you now, and that you came here to try and fix them. Be sincere in your apology and remember Maura's feelings when you speak to her. It's up to Maura whether or not she accepts your apology, but I know she is happiest when she is with you, and I will do anything to see her happy. She may not realize that, but it is the truth."

"Thank you, Dr. Isles."

"Sit down and have some breakfast, Jane. It's going to be a long day."

Jane knew he was right, and she was going to need all of her strength for this.

* * *

 

After a cheerful farewell from Dr. Isles, Henri drove Jane to the airport. Jane was amazed that she didn't have to go through security. She was driven right up to the side of the plane in a private car. The plane was located near a hangar away from the rest of the airport where commercial flights came and went. A uniformed attendant took her suitcase from the trunk and placed it in the jet's small cargo area. The plane was about the size of the commuter jet Jane had flown from Boston and had a small set of stairs built into the door for her to board through. She couldn't believe that aside from the pilot and copilot, she would be the plane's sole occupant.

Henri gave Jane a big hug and kissed both of her cheeks as he said his farewell.

"Good luck, Jane. Remember to tell her you love her."

Jane blushed. "I will, Henri. And thank you for everything."

"I will be here, cheering for you. Best wishes, beautiful lady."

"Thanks, Henri. It was wonderful to meet you." Jane said as she climbed the stairs to the small plane. Once inside, the pilot and copilot swiveled in their seats to greet her.

"Welcome aboard, Detective Rizzoli!" The pilot said.

"This your first time in a private jet?" The copilot said.

"Hi, yes it is." Jane answered.

"Well, make yourself at home. Since it's a short flight, we don't have a flight attendant flying with us, but if you need something urgent, just pick up that phone right there and we'll see what we can do for you." The copilot said.

"Okay, thanks." Jane said. "Uh, does it matter where I sit?" She said, looking at the rows of spacious seats, completely in awe of the plane's lush interior. There was even a couch toward the back, near the galley.

"Anywhere you like. Just stay seated for takeoff and landing, and if we hit some rough air, we'll ask you to be seated too. We have a public address system, so we'll talk to you as the flight progresses, let you know where we are and how much longer before we land. Bathroom's in the back of the plane, and there's soft drinks in the galley back there."

"Wow, okay, thanks." Jane said, completely overwhelmed.

"Ever been to Spain before?" The pilot asked.

"No, never." Jane said.

"You're in for a treat then. Go get settled, help yourself to something to drink if you like, and we'll be up in the air in a few minutes."

"Thanks guys."

The pilot got up and closed the main cabin door, securing it before he re-entered the cockpit and closed the cockpit door. Jane heard the engines wind up as she buckled her seat belt, having chosen a seat toward the front of the craft near the window. A few seconds later they were taxiing to the main runway, and less than a minute after that they were airborne. Jane was amazed at the jumbo jets that had been made to make way so that the smaller private craft could use the runway. The Isles were important people, and for the first time in a while, Jane felt a bit intimidated by their wealth and social stature. When Maura was in Boston and things were normal between them, it was easy to forget the power and the money behind the Isles name. Maura had never been one to flaunt it, but at the moment Jane was experiencing it firsthand, and it was very overwhelming.


	14. Chapter 14

Tuesday morning Maura woke up with a headache. Nothing too major, but enough to make tell her mother to go have lunch with her friends without her. Maura detested feeling sick. She purposefully kept herself in top shape to avoid days like this, but even Maura knew that days like this were inevitable.

"I'm sorry Mother, I'd just like to rest a while longer. I'll get something for lunch later, on my own, and will meet you back here at the hotel before the opening tonight, if that's all right."

"It's fine, darling. But are you sure you're okay? It's so unlike you to get a headache."

"I think it's dehydration due to jet lag, or due to stress. I'm going to drink plenty of water and rest. I am sure I will be fine by the time the gallery opening happens tonight. Are you sure there's nothing you need me to do before this evening?"

"The preview was a huge success last night. Tonight will take care of itself. Rest up, and call me if you need anything. Perhaps you should treat yourself to a massage, that may help too."

"Thanks, Mother. I'll see how I feel when I wake up."

Maura kissed her mother goodbye and drank a tall glass of water. Then she went back to bed- something she never did, but relished in doing that morning. Since she had been away from Boston she had been sleeping much better, and it was the oblivion of sleep she needed more than anything else. When she woke up an hour later her headache was gone and she was very relieved. She showered and dressed, and decided it would be a wonderful day to spend walking around Madrid. It had been years since she had been able to enjoy the city and she was eager to see what had changed, and what was still the same.

As Maura exited the elevator into the hotel lobby, she caught a glimpse of a woman at the lobby desk, and her heart felt like it had jumped into her throat. She had already gotten too far away, but the woman was a dead ringer for Jane.

"It couldn't be her," Maura thought. "I just miss her so much that my mind is playing tricks on me. This isn't unheard of. Besides," she thought with a smirk a few moments later, "that woman was too well-dressed to be Jane."

Maura exited the hotel and walked toward the entrance to the Metro, intent on exploring near the Prado Museum for a little while. She'd been too upset to enjoy the Louvre much while she had been in Paris, now was her chance to enjoy the Spanish art museum and lose herself in the amazing abilities of the artists.

* * *

The flight to Madrid was smooth and quick. It felt weird to Jane to be the sole occupant on the plane, other than the pilot and copilot, who were locked behind the cockpit door. The pilots came on and made little announcements for Jane's benefit as they flew, letting her know at what altitude they were flying, how fast they were flying, and how much longer they anticipated being in the air. Just before landing they asked her to take her seat and buckle up, as they would be on the ground soon. Jane hadn't left her seat for the entirety of the flight, so she didn't have much to do other than wait for them to land. Part of Jane couldn't wait to get to Madrid, and part of her dreaded what was surely going to be a very emotional and potentially heartbreaking day.

As soon as the plane landed, Jane's nerves started acting up. This was really it. Her one shot to apologize to Maura and bring her home. Jane thought about all of the people that were pinning hopes on her. She was terrified of disappointing them all. It didn't help that she was completely out of her element, both in the country and in the echelon of society she would be dealing with that night. It just made Jane more nervous.

As the plane taxied to a private hangar, Jane took out her passport. The pilots had come on the public address system to say a customs agent from the European Union would board the aircraft when they arrived and would check her passport as a formality. Jane would then be free to exit the aircraft and ride in the car that was already waiting for them to the hotel.

When the aircraft came to a stop, the copilot opened the cockpit door and checked on her. "Everything okay?" he said.

"Yes, that was a smooth flight. Thanks." Jane said.

"I'm going to let the customs guy on, then the ground crew will take your luggage out of the cargo area and the chauffeur will put it in the car for you. Have a nice time here in Spain, Detective."

"Thanks so much." Jane said.

The copilot opened the door and the customs agent came up the stairs.

_"Hola. Su pasaporte, por favor."_

Jane handed him her passport. He looked it over, stamped it, and handed it back to her.  _"Gracias. Bienvenido."_  He tipped his cap and exited the aircraft. Jane took that as her cue to get going. The butterflies in her stomach were increasing exponentially with every minute she stayed on that plane. The last thing she wanted to do was vomit all over the leather interior of the cabin, and the longer she stayed there, the more of a possibility that became.

She gave the pilots a quick wave, walked down the stairs to the tarmac, and greeted the chauffeur. He put her suitcase and carry on in the trunk of the Mercedes limousine and opened the rear passenger seat for her to get in.

_"Gracias,"_  Jane said, more confident in Spanish because she had taken a course in Spanish for Law Enforcement at the police academy. She hoped she wouldn't have a need for " _Suelta el arma y ponga las manos arriba!"_  while she was in Spain, but with Jane, you never knew.

She arrived at the hotel not long after she arrived in Spain, and she was greeted by a bellhop that took her luggage and followed her to the check in desk. As she was giving the woman behind the counter her information, the distinctive sound of high heels on the marble floors made their way out of Jane's subconscious and into her conscious hearing. She would know that walk anywhere. Quickly Jane turned around to look, but by the time she had noticed the sound and recognized it, the person making the noise had exited the hotel. Instinctively, Jane knew it had to have been Maura. No one else could make heels on marble flooring sound quite so sexy.

Jane returned her attention to the woman at the check in desk, and went to offer her credit card for payment.

"The room is paid in full, along with any incidentals." The woman said as she handed Jane her room keys. "You are in the small penthouse on the eleventh floor. The rest of your party is in the main penthouse on the twelfth floor."

"Okay then." Jane thought. "At least I know where Maura's staying."

Jane thanked the woman and walked with the bellhop to the elevator, fishing some Euros out of her purse to tip him with when they got to the room. The smallest bill she had was a twenty Euro note, and Jane figured it would probably be enough. She was too nervous to think of exchange rates, or the proper amount to tip a bellhop that brought your one suitcase and carry on up to what was called the "small penthouse".

The bellhop placed the suitcases inside the door and gave Jane a huge smile when she tipped him. At least she hadn't managed to insult him, Jane figured.

Jane hung up her dress for the night and looked around the massive hotel room. It wasn't just a hotel room, it was an entire apartment. This "small penthouse" was bigger than her own apartment at home. Jane shook her head. She would have stayed at the Motel 6 if there was one. This was too much for her.

Jane looked at her watch. It was just after ten o'clock in the morning. The car service was coming by to pick her up at seven thirty that night. She figured she needed, at most, two hours to get ready later. That meant she had seven hours to kill. Why Dr. Isles thought Jane was going to need nine hours to get ready for the gallery opening that night was beyond her. Surely Constance didn't take that long to get ready, did she? What was she going to do with all of this time? All of this time spent alone was causing Jane to go crazy, because all she could think about was Maura. And since she couldn't see Maura until that night, she needed something to occupy herself with. Jane grabbed her phone and her purse, and decided she would see a small part of Spain. She had no idea if she would ever be here again, and she certainly wasn't going to sit in the room and panic until it was time to leave, so some sightseeing would be in order.

She stopped at the front desk and asked for a map of the city, and then walked out of the building. She noticed a double decker tour bus stop at the corner, and walked up to it as people were getting off. A man selling tickets was outside. He said something in Spanish that Jane didn't catch, so she said "Sorry?"

"Thirty-five Euros to see the entire city. Get on and off as you please. Buses run every twenty minutes. Listen to a tour in English with these headphones."

"Great, count me in." Jane said, amused at the touristic nature of the trip. That would take her mind off things for a while, and maybe she could impress Maura with some facts about the city later, if they wound up back on speaking terms. She handed the ticket salesman the cash and he gave her change and a receipt.

"Hold on to the receipt, it's your ticket to get back on later!" he said.

Jane pocketed the ticket and the headphones, and hopped on, going right for the upper level. She plugged in the headphones and listened as a narrator droned on about the history and the architecture of the sites they passed. Jane didn't bother to get off at any of the stops for more than an hour, until they got to the one for the Prado Museum. Jane remembered that Dr. Isles had said Constance's gallery opening was going to take place near there, and Jane thought it would be a good idea to scout out the place, and develop a game plan for later that evening. Maybe if she was lucky she could see Maura before the opening.

Jane wandered around, watching the people as much as she watched where she was going. The Prado museum was rather large, and the tour bus dropped her off behind the museum, across from a church. On the lawn of the museum was a man dressed up as Edward Scissorhands. Jane stopped for a moment to watch his antics, and then felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

"Hello?"

"Janie, did you make it to Spain?" Angela asked.

"Yeah Ma, I'm in Madrid right now. I had a good flight."

"Have you seen Maura?"

"No, I won't get to see her until the gallery opening tonight. She doesn't know I'm here, as far as I can tell."

"Okay. Keep me updated. And good luck, Jane. Please bring her home. If you can, tell her I miss her."

"I'll try. I promise to try. I miss her too. So much. How's Jo doing?"

"She misses Maura."

"She lives with me, she doesn't miss me?" Jane asked, annoyed.

"Not as far as I can tell."

"Gee, thanks Ma. Hey, did you hear anything about how Casey's surgery went?"

"Jane, you better not bring that man up while you're talking to Maura!" Angela chastised.

"I don't plan on it. I'm just curious. I spent months pursuing him, so I think it's okay for me to ask how he made out with his surgery."

"I haven't heard anything. Sorry Jane. Look, I gotta run. Mr. Stanley is all up in arms about something. I think there's a sesame bagel touching a plain bagel or something."

"Okay Ma. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Good luck!"

"Bye!"

Jane hung up and started on her way again. She forgot about the Edward Scissorhands actor and realized that with each minute that ticked by, she was closer to the moment when she would apologize to Maura. She needed to find the gallery where the opening was taking place tonight, if only so that she could feel like she was prepared in some way.

* * *

Maura had wandered around inside the Prado museum for the better part of an hour. There was just something so calming, so intriguing about the artwork there. After her run yesterday and the decisions she had made, she was better able to lose herself in the artwork, unlike her day spent in the Louvre last week. If she could focus on things like this, these distractions, she could start to learn how to live without Jane. Maura was confident that if she fell back into her old routines, and lost herself in the things she held dearest, soon she would be able to go back to being the cool, removed, perpetually professional person she was before Jane came into her life.

She didn't want to admit to herself how utterly bleak the idea sounded. Instead she tried to focus on the positives instead. She was going to go back to Boston, sooner or later. And-, well, and that was about it. Because deep down, Maura knew that Boston without Jane was going to be awful. She just didn't know why she felt the need to go back there. Logic told her that going back to Boston was going to be the emotional equivalent to poking herself in the eye, but her heart kept telling her that it was the right thing to do. She didn't understand it, and she wasn't in a position at this point to further analyze it.

She rounded the corner outside of the museum, stopping for a moment to watch the strangely-clad street actor that had attracted quite a crowd of tourists on the lawn around him. His pale face paint and his scissors for hands gave Maura the chills. She was boggled by the people that crowded around him to have their picture taken. Surely they must know that it wasn't physically possible for someone to have scissors for appendages. Maura pondered the implications of giving birth to a child that had scissors for hands, shuddering at the internal damage that was possible. She knew this man was an actor, and wished she knew the pop culture reference he represented. Jane probably would have been able to tell her where this creature had come from. Jane probably would have laughed at her for not knowing, and she would have enjoyed watching her laugh.

She turned away, eager to get back to the hotel so she could start getting ready for the gallery opening that night. As she turned, she caught a glimpse of a woman on a cell phone, and once again her heart jumped into her throat. This woman looked exactly like Jane, but she knew it couldn't be Jane because Jane was back in Boston with Casey. The crowd around her shifted once more, as one group of tourists left the street actor and another ran up to have their picture taken. She lost sight of the woman in the shifting crowd. Maura wondered if she was always going to have these sightings of people who looked like Jane, and if her heart was always going to break anew every time it happened.

* * *

Jane hopped back on the tour bus after she had located the gallery. She hadn't tried to go in and she didn't see Maura around while she hovered outside for a little while. She wasn't sure what she had hoped to accomplish by scouting the place out, but she felt better for having done it. She had wondered if Maura was inside, helping her mother get ready for the evening's events. It sent chills up her spine to think that maybe she had been just feet away from Maura. Jane wanted to see her so badly that she was starting to ache from it.

When the tour bus looped back around to the stop where Jane had gotten on earlier, she got off and walked back to the hotel. She headed back up to her room and noticed she was back a bit earlier than she had planned, but she might as well start getting ready for the gallery opening that night. As she was pulling clothes and various toiletries out of her suitcase, she heard a soft knock at her door.

Nervously, Jane headed toward the door. Who could it be? No one besides her mother and Maura's father knew she was here. Maybe it was someone from the hotel?

Jane peeked through the security hole in the door.

Constance.

Jane unlocked the door and swung it open, the surprise obvious on her face.

"Constance?" Jane asked, slightly irritated at the high-pitched break her voice took as she said the other woman's name. It implied how nervous Jane felt, and she didn't like showing other people her nervousness.

"Hello Jane. Might I come in?"

Jane stepped aside and watched as Constance walked in.

"What took you so long to get back to the hotel? Did you get lost?" Constance asked.

"I'm sorry? I didn't get lost. I just went the whole route on the tour bus. How did you know I was here?"

"My husband called me yesterday. Told me you arrived in France looking for Maura, and that he was sending you here. I saw you skulking about outside the gallery and watched you leave, so I came back here to wait for you. It took you a long time to get back. I thought you had gotten lost."

"No, I walked back to the bus stop and came back on the tour bus. I didn't know you were there, otherwise I would have stopped and spoken to you. I just wanted to see where I needed to go tonight. Was-, is-, does Maura know I am here?"

"No, I haven't told her, and I don't think she has spoken to her father."

"Okay," Jane breathed more than spoke.

"If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know what your intentions are for this evening. You'll have to forgive me for being so forthright, but you and I have a habit of speaking frankly with one another, don't we?"

"We do. And the only thing I want to do is apologize to Maura. I hurt her, and I want to try and make things right."

"That's all?"

"Well, I'd like to try to convince her to come home, too. I'm not the only one who misses her. But that's secondary to apologizing to her. I really just want a chance to tell her how sorry I am."

"And?"

"And?" Jane repeated, not sure what else she was supposed to say.

"You've nothing else to say to her?"

"Well, I would also tell her how thankful I am to you and Dr. Isles for giving me this chance. After the way I hurt her, I really don't deserve this treatment from the two of you. I told Dr. Isles but I should tell you too. I am so grateful, I will never forget the kindness or the generosity the two of you have shown me."

"I assure you that was all my husband's doing. If you've planned nothing else to say to Maura then I think perhaps it's not a good idea for you to see her tonight."

Jane felt her chest tighten. "Not see her? But I came here to apologize. I came here to beg her to forgive me."

"And? I'll ask you once more if there isn't anything else you wish to say to my daughter tonight, Detective."

"And I love her. I want to tell her that I love her, if she'll listen to me." Jane blurted out.

"That's better. Because if you don't love her, if you don't feel the same way about her that she does about you, then your apology is worthless, and I will not let you do her further harm. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I understand." Jane said resolutely. "Hurting her was the worst thing I could have ever done, and I'm sorry. I want to tell her that, if she will give me the chance to say it. I love her, and I don't know how I'll live without her if she realizes that I'm not worth it to try again."

"Be honest with her. Speak from the heart. Trust her enough to love you, and for heaven's sake, stop running from her."

Jane nodded.

"Now, go clean yourself up, and get ready for tonight. What time are you arriving?"

"The car is coming at seven-thirty, so shortly after that."

"Good. I'll make sure Maura is there. Good luck to you, Jane."

"Thank you, Constance."

* * *

**Translations:**

_"Hola. Su pasaporte, por favor."_ Hello. Your passport, please.

_"Gracias. Bienvenido."_ Thank you. Welcome [to Spain].

" _Suelta el arma y ponga las manos arriba!"_ Drop your weapon and put your hands up!


	15. Chapter 15

Maura was in the middle of drying her hair when her mother returned to the hotel room. She turned the dryer off to address her mother. Something was definitely going on. Her mother was flushed and once again she was unusually quiet.

"You're later than you had planned. Did something happen at the gallery? Is everything ready for tonight?"

"It is now, Maura. I needed to address a few last minute issues, but I think tonight may turn out better than anyone could have expected." Constance said with a smile.

Maura had wanted to ask her mother what she meant by that, thrown off a bit by the coy smile her mother had thrown over her shoulder as she hastily departed to go get ready, but her mother clearly had no intention of elaborating. Maura shrugged and went back to blow drying her hair. Something was definitely going on. She would find out what exactly it was soon enough, she was sure.

* * *

Jane showered, dressed and did her hair and makeup. She dropped some cash and her cell phone into her clutch and looked around the massive suite. She still hadn't even decided which bedroom she would sleep in that night. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered beyond the gallery opening that night. Nothing at all mattered beyond apologizing to Maura.

Jane wondered what would happen if Maura refused to speak to her. Should she follow her back to France and beg her all over again? She couldn't spend any more of the Isles' money. That meant following Maura back to France wasn't an option. Jane thought about the money and the effort that everyone had put in to get her to Maura. Cavanaugh. Frost. Korsak. Her mother. Maura's father. Constance. What would they think of her if she went back to Boston without Maura? Would they think that she had let her pride and her fear get in the way again? Jane knew that she didn't deserve for Maura to forgive her, but she didn't want to disappoint the people back home. She just wanted Maura, and she hoped she could come up with a way to get her to see that. Jane wished she knew what to do, what the perfect thing to say would be.

She didn't have time to think about it, because the phone rang in the entrance way.

"Hello?" Jane asked, unsure of how people answered the phone in Spain.

"Ms. Rizzoli, your car is here."

"Thanks." Jane said, and gathered her clutch.

She smoothed herself over once before opening the door and getting into the elevator. "Well, here goes." She said to no one in particular.

* * *

Maura watched her mother in the car on the way to the gallery. She was still unusually quiet, and it was unnerving.

"Mother, is something wrong at the gallery? You were late coming back this afternoon and you're so quiet now. You're usually so much more animated on the nights of your openings."

"Not at all, dear. You look fabulous in that dress. I am so glad we went back for it."

"Thank you." Maura said, smoothing a hand over the skirt of her dress. "Are you sure that everything is all right?"

"Yes, darling. As a matter of fact, I think we're all in for an evening that's going to be..." she paused, looking for the right words. "Full of anticipation."

Maura cocked her head. "How do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know, Maura. There's just so much to look forward to. It's been so long since I've done a gallery opening with you. Tonight is going to be full of new beginnings. A second chance, if you will."

Maura smiled when her mother took her hand. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too, darling. Me too."

* * *

The car ride was quiet. Jane didn't know if the driver spoke any English or not, and she didn't feel like making idle conversation anyway. Her stomach felt like it was tying itself in knots, and Jane was glad she hadn't stopped to eat anything since breakfast. She realized she was jiggling her leg and rubbing the scar on her right palm, and she had to consciously stop herself from doing both.

As they pulled up in front of the gallery, the driver finally spoke.

"What time shall I pick you up?" He asked.

Jane didn't know, and she guessed her face reflected that. It could be hours, or this could all be over in a matter of minutes. The driver handed her a card. "Why don't you send me an SMS when you're ready to leave, and I will come and get you?"

"An SMS?" Jane asked.

"I believe that is what you Americans call a text message." He said with a smile.

"Oh, okay then. Yes, that's a good idea. Thank you."

"Mind that you add the country code to the number." He took the card back and wrote it in for her.

"Thanks." Jane said, taking the card back and stepping out of the car.

She watched as the driver pulled away before turning and heading to the gallery entrance.

"Your name please?" The man with the ever-present clipboard guarding the door asked.

"Detective Jane Rizzoli."

She watched the man scan the list of names, her heart sinking. This wouldn't be the first time she wasn't on the list. She thought back to the gallery opening she had attended in Boston with Maura, and how she had had to flash her badge to get them in. She didn't have a badge with her to flash now.

"I'm sorry,  _señora_ , but your name is not on the list."

Of course it wasn't. Because neither Dr. Isles nor Constance could have the forethought to put her on the list. Then again, why should they have? Why would they make this any easier for her? They had already given her so much help, but what was it with these people and not putting her name on their lists? Was that a thing with them?

"Constance Isles is expecting me, sir. I'm not sure why I am not on the list. Could someone please check with her?"

"I'm sorry, I cannot do that. Only names on the list can enter."

"Please, sir, I came here all the way from Boston, in the United States. I was flown here by Dr. Isles' private jet. I'm staying in the same hotel as Constance and Maura Isles. Please, could you ask either Constance or Maura to let me in?"

Jane could hear the slight whine in her voice and knew it wouldn't get her far. She herself couldn't stand it when people whined, and she didn't think the man guarding the door was going to appreciate it either.

"You are blocking other people from entering. Please step inside, right here, and not any further. I will have someone check in just a moment."

Jane stepped over the threshold and to the side like the man indicated. She looked around the room for Maura while the man checked in the additional guests. They were all on the list. Another gallery employee approached and asked Jane for her name.

"I'm Jane Rizzoli. I am here to see Maura Isles."

"But you are not on the list?"

"No, but Constance Isles is expecting me. Please, could one of you check with her? She knows I am coming here tonight."

"I cannot do that. Constance is very busy. This is the opening night and she has many things to take care of. She cannot be disturbed."

"Well then could you please ask Maura Isles, her daughter?" Jane was getting frustrated, and without realizing it, she had begun to raise her voice.

" _Señora_ , if you are not on the list then I am going to have to ask you to leave."

"I'm not leaving until I've had the chance to speak to Maura Isles! I came all the way here and I'm not leaving until I get to speak to her!" Suddenly Jane's voice was louder than the general din in the gallery. Heads that had been lowered together in quiet conversation suddenly snapped up to look at her.

"Jane?!" She heard from across the room, along with the signature clack of expensive heels heading right toward her.

Jane took in the figure walking toward her, a glass of red wine in her hand. Maura looked absolutely breathtaking. The dress she wore hugged her curves, and her hair was pinned up into a knot with wispy tendrils that framed her face. Her makeup looked fantastic, and as she got closer, Jane noticed she smelled wonderful too.

"It's fine, Carlos. Let her in." Maura said to the man and handed him her wine glass. He walked away and Maura faced Jane, the expression on her face cool and somewhat unreadable.

"What-" She stopped, the disbelief in her voice belying her neutral facade. "What are you doing here?" She finally stammered out.

"I'm chasing after who I want. When Casey walked out and you told me how you felt about him, I told you that I had to chase after what I want because it's never going to come to me. This is me, chasing after who I want, Maura."

"What?" Maura asked, clearly confused.

"I came to apologize. I know this isn't the best place or the right time, and I know that you probably don't want to hear what I have to say, but I'm begging you to please listen to me. I'm sorry, and I want to tell you I'm sorry. Please, could we talk, even for just a minute?"

"Why should I give you a minute of my time, Jane? You wouldn't do that for me." Maura's expression hardened, the weeks of hurt coming to the surface as the initial shock of Jane's arrival wore off.

"I know, and I don't deserve a minute of your time. But I know you're a better person than I was, and that you're not capable of the same type of cruelty. Please Maura."

Maura looked around. Most people had gone back to their conversations. She caught her mother's eye from across the room. Her mother didn't seem to be the least bit surprised to see Jane. Her mother's cryptic speech in the car about second chances and new beginnings came back to her. She watched her mother nod her head slightly, urging her to do something.

"Let's go for a walk. I don't want to do this here, in front of my mother's potential clients."

"Okay, thanks." Jane was relieved that Maura was at least going to listen to her. Maybe it would be better if they left the gallery. Maybe this wasn't going to be pretty. Maybe Maura was asking her to go outside with her so that way her mother's clients wouldn't hear her tell Jane she wanted nothing more to do with her. Jane suddenly felt queasy.

They walked outside, and Jane followed Maura's lead. She seemed more familiar with the area, and Jane didn't really know where they could go to talk in private. They walked a few blocks in awkward silence, Jane trying to come up with the perfect thing to say, provided Maura gave her a chance. Maura crossed the street and suddenly Jane knew where they were.

"There was this guy here this afternoon, dressed up as Edward Scissorhands." Jane blurted out suddenly. That wasn't really the opening she was looking for, but it seemed to prod Maura into speaking to her.

"You saw him? My god, I thought I saw you here this afternoon! How long have you been here?" Maura sat down on the low wall outside of the Prado Museum. She indicated for Jane to do the same.

"I got here this morning. Your father flew me here. On your jet. I think he felt bad after I had a small breakdown in front of him when you weren't in Paris when I got there."

"You went to Paris?!" Maura asked, incredulous.

"Yeah. Maura, I would have scoured the globe to find you. I didn't have to though, because my mother, Frost and Korsak had managed to track you down in France. They were waiting for me to come to my senses and then they told me where you were. They even-" Jane stopped, wiping a tear, frustrated that she was crying already. She never cried, but lately that was all she did and it angered her. She needed to be strong for this, not weepy. "They even chipped in so I could afford the plane ticket to Paris."

"Why?"

"Because they could all see what I refused to see, Maura. They miss you. They want you to come home. I miss you too. I want you to come home too."

"No, I mean, why would you come looking for me?"

"Because I want to tell you how sorry I am. I treated you terribly. I was so busy trying to fool myself into loving Casey that I hurt you. And you're the only person that matters, Maura. I can't ask you to forgive me, because hurting you is unforgivable. But please Maura, please understand how sorry I am. I am so sorry for the way I treated you. I am so sorry for chasing after Casey when I knew in my heart all along that I belonged with you."

"You broke my heart, Jane."

"I did, and I'm so sorry. I wish I had a way to unbreak it, because I would do anything to fix things between us."

"You can't, Jane. There's no way to undo what has been done."

Jane's shoulders slumped and despite her best efforts, she started crying in earnest. "I wish that I could. I'm so sorry, Maura. I kept trying to think of what to say to you, because I knew I only had one shot at this. And everyone, your parents, my mother, Frost, Korsak, Cavanaugh, hell even Jo Friday are expecting me to bring you back. I don't know what to say to fix things. I thought if you were kind enough to listen to me apologize, that maybe we could work on being friends again. And then maybe you'd come home, and I could earn your trust again. And then I thought, and I know this was thinking too much, but I thought that once we got back to the way things were, maybe we could try for more. "

"We can't go back to the way things were, Jane."

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired of hiding my feelings for you. I don't want to be your best friend."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Oh." Jane said, utterly shocked and completely dejected. What could she say to that? Didn't she have that coming? She'd pushed Maura away, hurt her badly. It was stupid of her to think that Maura would want to be her friend again. She really ruined everything. Jane stood up, eager to escape Maura's view so she could have a breakdown in private. "Well, I guess I should thank you for listening to me. It was more of a chance than I gave to you, so thank you for that. I really am sorry, Maura." She turned to walk away, and suddenly Maura was right there, pulling her back.

Maura had considered letting her walk away for a split second, just so Jane could have felt a tiny piece of the rejection Maura had been feeling for weeks. But Jane's words earlier rang in her ears. She wasn't that cruel. And she wanted Jane. Plain and simple, she wanted Jane, and she wasn't going to let this opportunity walk away from her. Not now. Not after all of this.

"You didn't let me finish. I don't want to be your best friend, Jane. Because as your best friend, I could never do this."

Maura pulled Jane in and kissed her, hard. She felt Jane's back stiffen and at first Jane didn't react. But the longer Maura pressed her lips against Jane's, the more Jane relaxed. Within seconds Jane had wrapped her arms around Maura's neck and was kissing her back.

"I love you." Jane said as they broke apart for air. "I know I should have said that years ago. I know I denied it for too long. But I mean it. I love you."

Maura pulled Jane back in and hugged her tightly. "I love you too, Jane. I have for a long time."

"Do you think we could work things out?" Jane asked, hesitantly.

"Yes, I know we can."

"You really don't want to be my best friend anymore?" Jane asked.

"Not if I can't kiss you like I just did whenever I want."

"What if you could? What if you could be my best friend AND my girlfriend?" Jane asked.

"Wow Jane, you have balls, asking for so much."

Jane took a step back, unsure of what to say.

"I'm kidding, Jane. Maybe that was a bad time to attempt sarcastic humor."

Jane smiled. "I believe they call them  _cojones_  in Spanish, Maur. So, what do you say? Can I earn your trust again, be your best friend, and earn your forgiveness?"

Maura looked at Jane. "You already have, Jane."

"You can't forgive me that quickly, Maura. Not after what I did to you."

"You came to look for me. You've told me you're sorry. I believe you."

"I know, but it's not that easy. I was really awful to you. Horribly, unforgivably awful to you." Jane said.

"Jane, the entire time I've been away, I've been trying to figure out where to go, who to become, and what to do with my life. Every plan I made felt wrong, and it was because you weren't a part of those plans. I may be a genius, but I could not figure out a way to live my life without you in it. Being with you is the only thing that feels right. And if I can't be with you until I've forgiven you and trusted you again, then I don't want to wait. I don't want to hold on to hurt or anger. I just want to love you."

"But Maura-"

"No, let me finish. I don't want to hold on to hurt and anger, but you can't do this to me again. You can't hurt me like that ever again. You can't push me away when you're scared. You can't hide feelings from me. And you have to promise me that you will never, ever, no matter how mad you get at me, tell me that you don't have time to talk to me. I don't want to be mad at you. I just want to be happy like I was before Casey showed back up into your life. I just want to be everything to you that you wished he would be. That's what I want, and that's the only condition I have for forgiving you."

"I can do that. If you give me a chance, I will prove to you that I can do that. And I am sorry for pushing you away. I am sorry for being so afraid of loving you. I am sorry for hiding my feelings from you. And thank you. Thank you for just forgiving me, without question. You are a spectacularly exceptional woman, Maura. Thank you."

"I've missed you, Jane. I went halfway around the world to get away from you, but I couldn't remove you from my heart. I didn't want to. I'm glad I couldn't, because without you I would have had only a half life, and that half of a life would have been meaningless."

Jane leaned over and kissed her again, lightly, and smiled at the flutter in her stomach. What a difference from the butterflies she felt earlier. "I love you," she said again. "I can't stop saying it."

"Well then don't." Maura said as she kissed her back. "Tell me all the time, because I've waited so long to hear it. I will never get tired of hearing it."

"I love you." Jane said, beaming.

"I love you, too. It's like music to my ears, hearing that and being able to say it to you, out loud." Maura replied.

Jane paused and looked around, realizing they were standing in front of the museum with dozens of tourists staring at them. She thought she would fear moments like this, and be afraid of what other people thought of her. Instead, all she wanted to do was kiss the petite doctor again, so she did. And then she said, "Do you want me to take you back to the gallery? Your mother might need you."

"My mother has been doing gallery openings since before I cut my first tooth. She'll be fine on her own."

"She and your father care a great deal about you, you know. Despite everything I did, they still let me see you, because they wanted you to be happy. I'm going to be forever grateful to them. Even after your mother's little interrogation this afternoon."

"So that's why she was late. She didn't look at all surprised to see you."

"She stopped by my room this afternoon and asked me about my intentions. Both she and your father knew I was here, but neither of them remembered to put me on the list for the gallery opening."

"Well,  _some_  things have to be  _earned_ , Jane." Maura said with a laugh.

"So... now what?" Jane asked.

"I don't know about you, but I've barely eaten in two weeks, and I'm starving. I know this great cafe where we can get the most unhealthy dessert you'll ever eat."

Jane put her hand on Maura's forehead. "Are you sick? Do you have a fever?"

Maura laughed. "No, I've never felt better. Let's go celebrate, Jane."

Jane followed Maura to a small cafe with a long line wrapped around the outside. Maura knew Jane hated crowds, but pulled her into the line anyway. "The line moves quickly, and it's worth the wait. Trust me."

"Okay." Jane said, and and took Maura's hand. She looked at Maura, looking at their hands together. "Is this okay?" Jane asked, afraid she had already crossed a line.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you to do that." Maura said.

"I really am sorry, Maura. I was such a fool."

Maura tightened her grip on Jane's hand. "All that matters is now, Jane. Don't push me away again, please."

"I won't. I know what it's like to lose you, and it's awful."

"I know the feeling." Maura replied.

When they were the next group to be seated, Jane took out her cell phone and posed them next to the sign outside of the cafe to take a picture.

"What are you doing?" Maura asked. "My makeup is ruined, and so is yours."

"I don't care. You've never been more beautiful and I never want to forget this night. Say cheese."

_"Queso!"_  Maura said as Jane snapped the picture. She laughed, then snapped a second picture while she gave her a peck on the cheek.

They were seated shortly after they took their photos. Maura excused herself to go clean up in the bathroom. Jane took her phone back out and texted the photos to Maura.

_I love you, now and forever. Thank you for the second chance._

She then forwarded the first photo, without the kiss, to her mother.

_She gave me a second chance. I am the luckiest woman on this earth. I don't know where I will end up tomorrow, but I will call you when I can. I don't know who Maura wants to tell yet, so PLEASE keep this to yourself. I know you'll find it hard, but try. :)_

A few seconds later Jane's phone pinged.

_I am so happy for you. I told Jo Friday, so it wouldn't feel like I was bursting to tell someone. She seems happy for you both._

Jane laughed as she replied.

_Thank you, Ma. For everything._

A minute later her phone pinged again.  _You can thank me in grandbabies._

Jane shook her head and put her phone away, then started looking at the menu. Maura was right, the desserts here were sinfully delicious looking and Jane was suddenly ravenously hungry.

She looked up as Maura took the seat next to her at the table.

"Did you miss me?"

"More than you'll ever know, Maur."

"I was only gone for a few minutes-"

Jane laughed at Maura's misinterpretation of Jane's response. Oh, how she had missed this.


	16. Chapter 16

They finished their dessert and Jane sent a text to the limo driver to meet them and pick them up. He responded that he would be there in about thirty minutes.

They stood outside in the warm Madrid evening, watching the streets bustling with Madrilenos and tourists alike. They hadn't taken their arms from around each other since they left the cafe. Between the sugary dessert and the fact that she was here with Maura, Jane felt like she was flying. Maura could tell that Jane was as happy as she was, and she gave Jane a squeeze as tourists and Madrelinos both tried to get around them as they paused on the sidewalk.

"They sure do stay out late in Spain." Jane remarked.

"Although it is far less common than it once was, many Spaniards take a siesta during their lunch break. They stay up much later than we do, on average. Well, by we, I mean Americans in general. You and I stay up late at crime scenes and buck the average a bit."

Jane smiled. "I missed your little factoids. I missed everything about you."

"I missed you too."

"So how did you know about this cafe?" Jane asked.

"Well, actually Valor is a chocolate brand and they have a chain of cafes throughout Spain, but my mother introduced me to this particular cafe the first night we were here. She had talked about the night we all had shakes and burgers at the Dirty Robber. I think she was encouraging me to make some new memories and indulge myself a little bit."

"It must have been nice to come here with your mother, just the two of you." Jane said, trying not to think of what Maura must have been going through in those first few days after she left Boston.

"It's been wonderful spending some time with my mother, but everywhere I went I thought of you, and what I would say to you if we were there together."

"That happened to me a lot too. I had a layover in London and I ordered a bacon and cheese sandwich, and it had this strange but amazing bacon on it. And the first thing I thought of when I started to eat it was that I would have to tell you about the magical qualities of that sandwich. Then I realized that I might never be able to do that again, and I had to stop eating because I was too upset."

Jane swiped at a stray tear that had started to make its way down her cheek at the memory. She had to quit it with this crying thing. It wasn't her and she was tired of it, but it still seemed to happen a lot lately.

"It was just bacon, Jane." Maura said, trying to lighten the mood.

Jane let out a strangled laugh at the joke. It wasn't just bacon. It was the possibility of losing the best thing that had ever happened to her because she was too afraid to admit she had feelings for her best friend.

"Maura?" Jane asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to come home? To Boston?"

"Of course, Jane. I had actually planned to come back at some point anyway sometime in the next few weeks. My plan had been to try it for a few weeks, and see if it was possible to work with you but not be a part of your life anymore. If seeing you with-" Maura paused, then changed her word choice. "If it got too difficult, my plan was to apply to another city somewhere and resign my post in Boston."

Jane shivered at the thought. It had been bad enough discovering Maura had just left for France on a leave of absence. Jane didn't want to think of what it would have felt like to find out Maura had resigned. She was thankful it never came to that. "Frost and Korsak missed you and wanted you to come back, but they were starting to get used to the guy that replaced you. He's not that bad, really, but I hated him."

"They didn't ask Dr. Pike to replace me?"

"No, some guy named Al Thompson. I think the mayor knew him from somewhere and wanted to give him a chance. He was pretty competent, and Frost and Korsak started to like him when he referred to Dr. Pike as a douchebag."

"Well, I can see why you didn't like him. That's very unprofessional."

"No, I hated him because he wasn't you." Jane said, and Maura hugged her. "Also, he made stupid references to Paul Simon songs."

Maura looked at her blankly and Jane just ushered her to the limo, which had pulled up seconds earlier. Jane added Paul Simon to the list of pop culture references that she would have to introduce Maura to.

* * *

The ride back to the hotel was quiet but peaceful. Jane didn't feel awkward at all, despite the hundreds of questions she had for Maura. They could all wait. Right now, Jane just wanted to soak up the space Maura occupied. She couldn't believe Maura had forgiven her. Had kissed her! Maura Isles had kissed her. And Jane told her she loved her. Jane felt like she didn't deserve any of this. It all felt like a dream, a wonderful dream that she never wanted to wake up from.

"What are you thinking about?" Maura asked, breaking the silence.

"You." Jane said, simply.

"Must have been good thoughts. You were smiling."

"I was just thinking how incredibly lucky I am. I really don't deserve anything that's been given to me the last few days. I am surrounded by people that love me and care enough about me to do good things for me even when I am horrible to them. I'm sitting here being thankful for the second chance you gave me."

"I'd rather be with you than without you, Jane. I just wish you hadn't pushed me away. In retrospect, I knew that I handled the situation with Casey improperly, but I thought we would be able to talk about it."

"Maura, you didn't do anything wrong. You showed me the facts, and I was so afraid of the truth that I pushed you away. All of this is my fault. All of it. I was scared and I lashed out at you, when it was you I should have been coming to in the first place. It took both Frost and my mother pointing the obvious out to me to make me finally see things for what they were. I was a real jerk. I can't say I'm sorry enough."

"Why were you so scared?"

"I told myself that I was scared for Casey, that the chances he was taking on this surgery were too much. But the truth of the matter was that I was afraid of loving you. I'd had feelings for you for a long time, and I was terrified of them. I was afraid you didn't feel the same way about me, and if I told you what I was feeling, you'd reject me. I was afraid of who and what those feelings would make me. I was afraid of what people would think of me. When Casey came back, I realized that I had feelings for him once too, and that I didn't have to be afraid of having feelings for him. Casey represented a safe choice."

"Jane, we don't have to tell people right away, but I have no intention of hiding away forever. At some point, when we're both comfortable, we're going to have to tell people about us. And I don't care what they think. Half the people we know already assume we're a couple already."

"I know that. And there's no reason to hide anyway. I was a fool to be so scared, so worried about being a stereotype. Besides, I'm sure my mother has told the entire precinct that I came to look for you and beg you to come back. People are going to have a field day with that, jumping to their conclusions."

Maura laughed. It felt good to hear her laugh.

The limo pulled up in front of the hotel and the driver got out to open the passenger door. Jane and Maura exited and headed inside the lobby.

"Do you want to come up?" Jane asked.

Maura hesitated. "I'm afraid if I go up with you, I won't be able to keep my hands off of you."

"That wouldn't be a bad thing." Jane said. "But I agree that the timing isn't right. I want our first time to be special."

"I don't want our first time to be makeup sex." Maura said.

"Maura, I didn't even know you knew the term!" Jane laughed. "Why don't you go up to your penthouse and get your pajamas, and come down to my penthouse and we'll have a sleepover? I can sleep in another room if you want. There are several, and I have no idea which one I am supposed to sleep in."

"My penthouse is bigger than your penthouse." Maura pointed out.

"Yes, and your mother will be home soon."

"True. I'll meet you at your penthouse in fifteen minutes." Maura said.

"I just want you to know I've thoroughly enjoyed being able to say 'my penthouse'. Can we both just take a moment to relish in this, before I go home to Boston and my crappy apartment?"

Maura laughed and pulled Jane toward the elevator. She kissed Jane on the cheek when Jane left to get off on the eleventh floor. "See you in a few minutes."

"Okay." Jane said, a goofy smile on her face.

Jane entered the suite and pulled out the giant airline t-shirt she was using for pajamas. She headed into the bathroom and washed up quickly before getting changed.

* * *

Maura pulled out her pajamas and a change of clothes for the morning. Then she pulled out some of the hotel stationery to leave her mother a note.

_Mother,_

_I don't know what you and Father were thinking, but thank you. Although I've never doubted your generosity and kindness, I never imagined either of you to be the romantics you so obviously are. I hope the opening went well, and I'm eager to hear about it. I now understand all of your cryptic statements from the limo earlier. I should be mad at you for hiding Jane's arrival from me, but I'm too elated to even try.  
_

_I'll be downstairs with Jane. We have a lot to work out, but I plan to bring her back to France with us tomorrow. Don't wait up. We'll meet you for breakfast in the morning._

_Love,_

_Maura_

Maura locked up the room and headed back downstairs to see Jane. They did have a lot to work out. She had been quick to forgive Jane, and she wouldn't change that, but there was a lot left to talk about.

She knocked on the door to Jane's room. Jane must have been waiting for her, because the door swung open immediately.

"What are you wearing?" Maura exclaimed.

"My luggage got lost, so the airline gave me this t-shirt. It never occurred to me to pick up pajamas while I was clothes shopping, so I have been wearing the t-shirt the airline gave me as pajamas. You don't like it?" Jane asked as she did a little spin.

"Is that a t-shirt or a tent? And it clearly wasn't made for someone as tall as you. It barely comes down to your hips!"

Jane looked down and blushed. "I could sleep in the clothes I flew here in."

"No, I like it. I like seeing those long legs of yours."

Jane's blush got even deeper.

"The airline logo is also a nice touch." Maura added, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks." Jane said, and started walking toward the living room.

"I'm just going to run in and get changed." Maura said, pointing to the bedroom.

"Go ahead. I'll be out here."

Jane waited a few minutes, then heard Maura call her from the bedroom.

"Jane?" Maura said.

"Everything okay, Maur?"

"Can you unzip me? I think the zipper on my dress is stuck."

Jane walked into the master bedroom and found Maura standing in front of the full length mirror.

"Sorry," Maura said. "I think the zipper is caught in the material."

Jane looked at it and pulled the zipper part way back up, allowing the material that was stuck in the zipper to come out. Then she pulled the zipper back down again. Her fingers grazed over the skin on Maura's back on the way down, and they both gasped.

"I should, uh, I should go back into the living room." Jane said, her mouth suddenly dry.

"Help me take this off first." Maura said.

Jane pushed the dress down Maura's shoulders, running her fingers down Maura's arms as the dress came off. Maura let the dress pool around her feet before she turned around and stepped out of it.

"Can you hand me my pajamas?" Maura asked, innocently.

Jane reached over to the bed and picked up the pajamas Maura had deposited there. She couldn't take her eyes off of Maura.

"You're..." Jane had to swallow and start over again. "You're beautiful." It felt good to not deny herself these feelings. She'd been pushing them down for too long.

Jane reached out to hand Maura the pajamas and instead of grabbing them, Maura grabbed Jane by the t-shirt, pulling her forward and kissing her. Jane wrapped her hands in Maura's hair, pulling out her chignon and letting Maura's hair cascade around them. She felt Maura's tongue against her lips and opened her mouth to let it in, losing herself in the taste. Maura's hands slipped under Jane's t-shirt and Jane moaned at the feeling of Maura's hands on her bare skin. It was Jane's moan that brought reality back to both of them.

Maura pulled away quickly, gasping for air.

"We- that was nice but- we-"

"I know." Jane said and took a step back, unable to take her eyes off of Maura. "Not tonight. I want to, but not tonight. I'll just go in the living room, okay?"

"Okay." Maura nodded, and watched Jane step away before pulling her toward her once more and kissing her again.

Jane broke away again and held a finger out to her. "Stop. Really. If you do that again, I am going to lose whatever control I have left, okay?"

"Okay." Maura said once more, and Jane walked out of the room quickly.

Maura followed Jane out to the living room a few minutes later, sensibly dressed in a pair of simple satin pajamas.

"It's not fair, you know."

"What's not fair?" Jane asked.

"You in that t-shirt. I just want to rip it off of you."

Jane laughed. "Maur, when we get home, I'll wear this for you and you can do whatever you want to."

"Anything?" Maura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Within reason."

"Darn." Maura said jokingly.

Jane tapped the photo album she had pulled out of her suitcase while Maura was getting changed.

"My mother found this on the floor in your bedroom when she was checking the house. She gave it to me, to drill some sense into me. I brought it with me because it gave me courage to come find you. I'm so glad it was in my carry on, otherwise it would have wound up in Cartagena with the rest of my stuff."

"Ah, they entered the airport code CTG instead of CDG on your baggage, didn't they?"

"It amazes me that you know that. How do you know that?"

Maura shrugged. "I know many things."

"You do, and you never stop amazing me with the things you come up with."

"You know Jane, that album wasn't on the floor in my bedroom."

"It wasn't? My mother said-"

Maura interrupted her gently. "No, I distinctly remember putting that album in the drawer in my nightstand as I was packing. That is normally where I keep it. I had debated taking it with me, but decided I needed to make a clean break, and put it back in the drawer where I keep it."

Jane nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry for making you need a clean break. I'm sorry for hurting you to the point where you had to leave. I'm sorry for everything."

Maura nodded back, the lump in her throat too much for her to speak over.

"I'm sorry my mother snoops. It's not just you. She told me where my passport was, and then added that it was under my life insurance policy, next to my vibrator. She also told me Frankie has a fleshlight."

"Oh my." Maura giggled.

"We're going to have to break her of that habit."

"Well, if she's been in my nightstand, she knows all the things I have too. Though I do keep them in the lower drawer, and this album was in the upper drawer."

"I'm pretty sure she's probably seen some of the other stuff then too. I mean, why would she stop at one drawer?"

"I don't know. That's a very odd habit, Jane."

"We're talking about the woman that flosses her teeth in bed, Maura."

"True. Still, does she not understand the idea of personal boundaries?"

"Maura, have you met her?" Jane said with a laugh.

"Okay, you have a point there. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think I want to have my locks changed when I get home."

"I had the very same thought! I'll talk to her, I promise."

"I don't think she's going to change much, and I wouldn't want to change her. Still, I can't believe she went digging for this album."

"Me either. It's a beautiful album, though." Jane paused as she opened it to the last page with any content on it. "It's silly, really, but when I got to this page and realized there was nothing left after this photo, that the album had ended before it was finished, I realized that I had to come and find you. I realized so many things as I looked through this album, not the least of which was that I love you and I can't imagine my life without you in it. I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me for running like I did. For chasing after Casey like I did. And for ignoring everything we had because it scared me."

"Jane, I've already forgiven you."

"No, Maura, you shouldn't forgive me. Not right away. I mean, I'm so glad that we're sitting here, talking like we are. But I hurt you, and you can't just forget about it. You said it earlier- some things have to be earned. I knew when I came here that I couldn't just say that I had figured out who I wanted to be with, and then expect to run right into your arms, but that's essentially what I did. It's not that I'm not grateful or happy that you're so willing to forgive me. I just feel like I have to earn your trust and your love back. Don't be so quick to forgive me."

Maura looked dismayed. "What are you suggesting I do, Jane?"

"Nothing. I mean, I'd like to continue doing what we're doing right now. Spending time together, talking through things. I just want to be able to prove to you that I'm serious about being with you, and that I'm going to work hard to make sure you know I'm never going to hurt you again."

"Jane, no one can know that. No one can know that they may hurt someone in the future. It's not something anyone can promise."

"Well, then I promise to try to not ever hurt you again, is that better?" Jane asked.

"Yes. So, what now then? Am I supposed to be mad at you?"

"No Maura, no. I mean, if you were I wouldn't blame you. After the bedroom earlier, I realized how easy it would be to just forget these last two weeks. But we can't just pretend they didn't happen. We can't just pretend that I didn't spend the last several months trying to get Casey to love me, either. I mean, I was pretty much ready to go in that bedroom, but I really want everything with you to be meaningful and special. So let's build up to it and make it special, okay?"

"If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do. I just don't know how long I'm going to be able to wait before I spontaneously combust."

"It's not up to me how long we wait. It's only until you really trust me again."

"But Jane, I trust you now. I've always trusted you. I would never hesitate to put my life in your hands, and the same goes for my heart. You've been all I've wanted for so long. Please don't make me wait. I won't forget what we went through. I won't forget that you chased after Casey and begged him to love you. But please don't make me beg. I just want to love you without reservation."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Maura asked, not expecting Jane to acquiesce that quickly.

"If that's what you want, then it's fine with me. I just would like to date you before I woo you."

"I'm beyond being wooed, Jane." Maura said with a laugh, and leaned in and kissed Jane. "Come on, it's been a long couple of weeks. Let's go to bed. To sleep." Maura clarified.

"One quick question." Jane said as Maura led Jane to the bedroom by the hand.

"Scoot." Maura said.

"It's shoot." Jane said.

"Shoot." Maura said.

"Where do we go from here? I mean literally. Do we go home? Do we stay here? I'm not looking to rush too much, but I definitely have to make plans for work and finances and stuff."

"If it's all right with you, I'd like to go back to Paris tomorrow with my mother. I'd like you to come with me. I'd like to spend a few more days with my parents, just because it's rare that they're both home at the same time and I hardly get to see them. When we get back to Paris tomorrow we can look at flights early next week to go back to Boston."

"That sounds good. If we wait until next week maybe the airfare will be cheaper than if we were to go home right away."

"Oh, I plan on booking us first class tickets regardless of when we fly home. I don't fly economy class, Jane."

"Maura, I can't, it's so expensive to begin with. I just don't have that kind of money."

"Yes, but I do. I'm not flying home without you, and I'm not flying home in anything less than first class."

"But Maura-"

"Just get in the bed, Jane."

Jane did as she was told, and hoped that would not be the last time Maura gave her that command.


	17. Chapter 17

"Well, aren't you two looking well-rested this morning." Constance said with a knowing smirk as Jane and Maura took their seats across from her in the hotel restaurant. She did have to admit they cleaned up well. Maura looked her usual immaculate self and Jane looked only slightly disheveled.

"Mother!" Maura admonished. Jane just yawned. She'd had no coffee and wasn't even half awake at this point. She'd relied on Maura to pull her down to the hotel restaurant as if she beautiful woman was her seeing-eye-person. Though they went to bed early, they stayed up talking for hours, catching up on all the time they lost over the last few weeks and talking about their feelings. They had fallen asleep in the early morning hours wrapped up in each others arms, and both had nearly jumped out of their skin when the alarm went off on Maura's phone to wake them not long thereafter.

"Good morning, Constance." Jane finally managed to say as she unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap. She looked gratefully over at Constance, who had had the forethought to order them all coffee. She took a giant gulp of it, oblivious to the hot liquid's sting on her tongue and throat. She let the coffee work its magic, taking another sip before putting the mug down. Now, now she felt human again. "I'm starving," was her first spoken, coherent thought of the day.

"Worked up quite an appetite last night, did you two?"

Jane's fork clattered to the floor and a waiter ran over with another one. Jane looked around to see who could have possibly heard Constance and was grateful there were not a lot of people in the restaurant that early. She began weighing her options for escape. Under the table looked like the safest bet.

"Mother!" Maura hissed again, quietly. "Jane and I stayed up talking last night. I feel like we resolved a lot of our issues."

"Is that what the young people are calling it now?" Constance said, chuckling.

"Really, Constance, we talked. A lot."

"That's it?" Constance asked, almost sounding disappointed.

"That's it." Maura said, astonished at her mother's behavior. Sex had never been a taboo topic in the Isles household, but she had never known her mother to be so outright curious about her sex life before. Maura suddenly understood how Jane sometimes felt when her own mother prodded a little too much. She watched Jane look down at the tablecloth and knew the woman was seriously considering hiding under the table.

"And what, if anything, did you decide to do?" Constance asked.

"Well, we're going to fly back to Paris with you this afternoon. If it's all right with you, we'd like to stay with you a few days, then fly back to Boston early next week."

"That's it? You stayed up all night deciding what day you're going to fly home?" Constance asked, irritated.

"No, we also talked about how sorry I am for hurting her, and how even though Maura has forgiven me, I would like to take things slowly and earn her trust again." Jane said.

"And I told her that I already trust her." Maura interjected.

Constance looked between them. "Girls, neither one of you has answered the real question here. I'm glad you've made up. The question is, did you just make up, or did you kiss and make up?"

"Mother!" Maura growled. Jane had enough. She had to put a stop to this, because she was going to die of embarrassment before she even had sex with Maura. She leaned over from her seat, turned Maura's head to her, and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, effectively silencing any further protests from Maura and any further questions from Constance.

Jane smiled at Maura before turning back to look at Constance with one eyebrow raised.

"I see." Constance said with a smile, and they all looked at their menus, each grinning and blushing for their own reasons.

* * *

They went back upstairs after breakfast to gather the last of their things and head to the airport. Jane was glad she wasn't traveling by herself, glad she had Maura with her. Jane found herself reaching for Maura's hand every chance she had, and Maura seemed more than willing to let her take it.

They flew back to Paris late that afternoon and Henri was waiting for them at the airport. Upon seeing Jane exit the jet after Constance and Maura, he let out a delighted clap. "Oh, I am so happy! She is back with you! This is time for a celebration!"

Jane grinned at Maura and Maura took Jane's hand. Maura gave Henri a peck on the cheek as he held the door for them to get in the car, and Jane followed suit. Jane really liked that guy. He really seemed to care about Maura, and he wasn't afraid to show it.

When they arrived back at the Isles' house, Henri began to unload the suitcases. Jane offered to help.

"No, no. Jane please go in and visit. I will put your suitcase in Maura's room. Is this okay, Maura?"

Maura grinned at him. "She's not staying anywhere but with me."

_"Très bien."_ Henri said as he started carrying the suitcases up to the bedrooms. Jane felt funny watching the older man carry the suitcases up, even if he had no trouble doing it. She was perfectly capable of helping him, and felt like she was being rude for just standing there with Maura next to her. Maura was unperturbed by the scene. Jane definitely wasn't used to being waited on. Not like this, anyway.

They ate a simple but hearty dinner together while Constance told her husband about the very successful preview and the gallery opening. Only a few pieces hadn't sold, but she had another opening in Milan in less than a week and was confident they would sell there.

"Darling, this is all wonderful news and I am so thrilled for you. I think this has been one of your most successful openings yet! But please forgive me for interrupting. It's just that I'd really like to know how Maura and Jane made out."

"Father, not you too!" Maura yelled, surprising her father.

"I think he means whether we made up or not. Not the other meaning for 'made out'." Jane leaned over and whispered.

"Oh, excuse me, Father. I misunderstood."

The senior Doctor Isles laughed.

"I think we did very well, sir. No doubt your generosity played a huge roll in all of that. Thank you again. And thank you to Maura, who listened to me, let me apologize, and forgave me." Jane squeezed Maura's hand under the table.

"So what now, ladies?" He asked.

"Jane and I are going to look at flights home at the beginning of next week. She and I have a lot of catching up to do, and we'd like to spend a little time here while we do that, as long as it is acceptable to the two of you."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you please, but I've got to head back to Tanzania on Friday for a week, and your mother has another opening in Milan on Monday, so she will be leaving for Italy on Saturday morning."

"But Henri will be here and you can stay as long as you wish. I'm just sorry we won't be here with you." Constance added. "You know you're welcome to accompany me to Milan if you'd like. Jane have you ever been to Milan?"

"I haven't, actually, but I do need to get back to work. Maura's on a leave of absence, but I'm using accrued vacation time, and my partners are picking up my cases for me while I'm away. As much as I would love to go with you, I think I have to get back to Boston at the beginning of next week. It was kind of you to offer though."

"And I need to go take my chair back." Maura said.

Jane laughed, because she understood the reference, but Maura's parents looked at her blankly. Jane explained it to them, happy to be able to explain something to the Isles family for once, instead of the other way around. "She gets upset when Doctor Pike sits in her chair at work. By extension she also gets upset when the interim acting Chief Medical Examiner also sits in her chair. So she's going to take her chair back."

"Oh, I see." Constance said with a smile. "And then what?"

"And then we..." Jane stopped and looked at Maura. "Well, we haven't discussed much beyond heading home. But I'm guessing we're going to go home, get settled back into work, and maybe if Maura will let me, I'll take her out on a nice date." Jane said with a smile.

"Just one?" Maura asked jokingly.

"Well, you haven't been on a date with me yet. You may not want one after the first time!" Jane said.

"Silly Jane, you two have been dating for years!" Constance interjected, and they all laughed. It felt so good to be able to do this. To not need to hide, to not be embarrassed or scared of her feelings. Jane could feel the tension leaving her body in waves.

"I also have to think of creative ways to thank my mother, my lieutenant, Korsak and Frost. They really sacrificed quite a bit to get me to Paris, and they put up with me more than anyone should ever have to." Jane said.

"We should take them all out to a nice dinner." Maura suggested.

"I think that's an excellent idea, but I'm paying. I'm establishing that right now. I also have to do more for them. Maybe you can help me think of ideas. And Dr. and Mrs. Isles, if you have time before you leave on your trips, I would like to take you out for dinner as well. I can never come close to repaying you for all that you did for me, but I can show you some of my gratitude by taking you out for a nice dinner before I head home."

"Jane that is entirely unnecessary, but I think it would be wonderful if we all went out for a family dinner before the week is over. Would you like that, darling?" Constance asked her husband.

"I think that's a splendid idea." He replied.

The conversation moved on to different topics and they enjoyed a leisurely evening around the dining room table. Henri came and went, taking away plates and refilling drinks. Maura had removed her hand from Jane's and sat there with her hand on Jane's thigh, absentmindedly rubbing small circles as they spoke. Jane kept losing track of the conversation because of the sensation Maura was creating. She was touching Jane's thigh but Jane was starting to feel it in other places.

"Jane? Jane are you all right?" Constance asked.

Jane snapped out of the daydream she was having, courtesy of Maura's hand on her thigh.

"What? Yes! Yes, I'm fine. Sorry?"

"I asked if you and Maura would like to visit some of the city tomorrow. Maura agreed, but you were just staring off into space."

"I'm sorry, I must be tired, I think I still have jet lag." Jane said.

"Sweetheart, why don't you take Jane upstairs and let her get settled?" Constance asked.

"No, I'm sorry Constance. I would love to go into the city tomorrow, and I'm fine. It's still early yet."

"Really, both of you have had quite a rough few weeks. Why don't you head up? We'll see you both in the morning, and head out into Paris after breakfast."

Jane looked over at Maura, who was looking over at Jane. "I think it's a good idea, Jane. We'll look up flights, book something, and it's still early enough back home that we can call everyone we need to call and get our work schedules set up."

"Okay." Jane said, saddened when Maura took her hand off her thigh. "Good night, everyone. Thank you again. See you in the morning."

"Goodnight, sleep well!"

* * *

They returned upstairs and Maura took out her laptop. "I think it would be a good idea if we looked at flights, picked the one that is best for us, and then called home to let them know when we'll be back."

"Good idea. Maybe we can get Cavanaugh, Korsak and Frost on the phone at the same time. They'll be thrilled to hear your voice."

"And yours too, Jane."

"Nah, they needed a break from me. I was awful to you, Maura, but was something terrible to them all too. But you, they missed you."

"I've missed them. It'll be nice to see them again."

Maura looked up flights. "We can essentially fly home any day we want, but I think it would be nice to spend a few days here while my parents are out of town. It'll give us a chance to have some time alone, without interruptions of any kind."

"What about Henri? Won't he be here?" Jane asked.

"Don't worry about him. I'm thinking it's been awhile since he last saw his daughter. She's about our age. She lives in Lyon, about four hours south of here. I'm sure he'll be very happy with the train ticket we're going to buy him while we're in the city tomorrow. It'll be our way of thanking him for taking you shopping and being so supportive of you when you first got here."

"Great idea. Think he'll go for it?"

"I think he'll be thrilled. That should give us at least two days of time by ourselves."

"I can think of a million things we can do in that time." Jane said with a sly smile as she sat down next to Maura at the foot of the bed.

"Me too." Maura said, and leaned over and kissed her.

Jane broke away reluctantly. "I feel like a teenager, sneaking around. I mean, we're both adults and I don't really think your parents mind, but I just feel funny kissing you in your childhood bedroom when your parents are right downstairs."

"I wouldn't worry about them. They're going to give us the utmost in privacy. It would be unlike them to meddle in our affairs, beyond the joking that went on this morning and this afternoon." Maura said.

"Unlike my mother." Jane said.

"Yes, very much the opposite."

"Well, we should still concentrate on the task at hand. So what day do you want to leave?" Jane asked.

"How about a week from today? Wednesday?" Maura said. "Do you have the vacation time for that?"

"I should, but I feel bad making Frost and Korsak go that long without me."

"Jane, you know that Sean is always asking you to use some of this accumulated time. Why not take advantage of it?

"I could. It would be nice." Jane said.

"So then let's do it. Let's book a flight home on Wednesday, and then let's call everyone and let them know we're coming home a week from today."

"Maura, do you think we could possibly find a direct flight? I had so many layovers on the way here, and all they seem to be are invitations for creepy guys in Yankees caps to proposition me."

"What?!" Maura asked.

"Yeah... on the way here I had a layover in New York and some jerk in a Yankees cap asked me to join the mile high club with him. I pretended like I didn't speak English. I really had an awful time getting here. Two layovers, a proposition from a Yankees fan, and then they lost my luggage." Jane pouted.

"Oh, poor baby. And to think that if you hadn't caused this mess, you wouldn't have had to have done any of that." Maura said pointedly.

Jane was taken aback by Maura's tone.

"You're right Maura. I was kidding about the awfulness part, but you're absolutely right. I'm sorry, again."

"Just don't do that again, Jane. Really, don't do that again."

"I won't, Maur. I promise."

Maura selected a flight- direct to Boston- and booked two first class tickets.

"Can I at least give you some money toward that ticket? Please?" Jane asked.

"Nope."

"This isn't right, Maura. You shouldn't have to pay to bring me back from here. You were right when you said I caused all of this. I should be paying my own way home. And I should be paying everyone else at home back for getting me here to begin with."

"Why don't you take the money you would have spent on the plane ticket home and repay everyone with it?" Maura asked.

"I might have to do that, but that doesn't repay you."

"You know how you can repay me, Jane?"

"Tell me." Jane said.

"Tell me you love me, every day. And mean it." Maura said.

Jane kissed her chastely and whispered "I love you. And I mean it. And I will tell you every day forever if you want to hear it."

"I do." Maura said, hugging Jane to her tightly.

Jane picked up her cell phone and dialed the precinct, then punched in Sean Cavanaugh's extension when the automated attendant came on.

"Cavanaugh." Came the gruff greeting.

"Lieutenant, it's Jane Rizzoli. How are you, sir?"

"Jane! We've been waiting to hear from you! Have you found Dr. Isles?"

"Hang on sir, let me put you on speaker."

Jane turned the phone on speaker and said "We're here together, sir."

"Haha! That's terrific! Way to go, Rizzoli! Hello Doctor Isles!"

"Hello Sean!" Maura greeted him cheerfully.

"Girls, hang on a sec." They heard a chair scrape and a door swing open. "Frost! Korsak! Get in here!"

A few seconds later they heard the voices of Jane's partners as they walked in to Cavanaugh's office.

"Everything okay, Sean?" They heard Korsak ask.

"What's going on, sir?" Frost asked.

"Hey guys!" Jane and Maura said in unison.

"Is that-?" Korsak asked.

"Doctor Isles?" Frost said at the same time.

"Hello boys!" Maura said.

"Hey fellas!" Jane said.

"Are you two in the same room? Speaking to one another?" Frost asked.

"I am in Maura's childhood bedroom with her. Being the super, wonderful, gracious woman that she is, she accepted my apology."

"I did!" Maura confirmed.

"Oh my gosh Janie that's wonderful!" Korsak exclaimed.

"Way to go, Maura!" Said Frost.

"Sir, if it's okay with you, I'd like to continue using vacation time until the end of next week. We're booked on a flight to come home on Wednesday, a week from today. I'll probably need a day to get over the jet lag, so I could come back to work on Friday. Is that all right?"

"Jane, come back to work the following Monday. Take the weekend to get settled. Help the Doc get her office in order or whatever. You have so much accumulated leave that human resources is going to thank me for getting you to use some."

"I don't want to overburden the guys." Jane said.

"Jane, take the time off. Spend some time with the Doc." Frost said.

"It's slow here, Jane. Don't worry about us." Korsak added.

"Well, if you're sure..." Jane hesitated.

"We're sure!" The three men said in unison. Jane was sure she probably could have heard them without the phone, all the way from Boston.

"Okay then. I'll see you guys on Monday. And all of you, thank you so much!"

"Doc, we can't wait to see you." Korsak said.

"I'm eager to see all of you again too. I've missed you." Maura said.

"We missed you too, Doc. It'll be great to have you back." Frost said.

"Okay then. That settles it. Rizzoli, we'll see you in a little over a week. Enjoy yourselves, you two." Cavanaugh said.

"We will!" Jane and Maura answered together.

"So wait a sec," Frost said. "Does this mean you two are..."

"Bye guys! You'll find out a week from Monday!" Jane replied.

"Not fair Jane, not fair!" Frost said.

"Oh come on, Frost." Korsak said. "You know they're probably holding hands right now."

Jane looked down at her fingers intertwined with Maura's and grinned.

"See you soon, boys. Be good! Thanks again, and bye!"

Jane disconnected the call while Frost was still groaning about not knowing whether or not Jane and Maura had gotten together. "I think I should also call my mother. I promised her I would."

"Go ahead. I can't wait to see her again too." Maura said.

Jane called her mother's cell phone number.

"Hello?" Angela asked.

"Hiya Ma." Jane said, leaving the phone on speaker.

"Hi Angela." Maura said.

"GIRLS! OH I AM SO HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU!" Angela bellowed into the phone, so loud the speaker nearly caused the phone to vibrate off the bed.

"We wanted to let you know we're staying in France another week. We're flying home a week from today. I'm not going back to work until the following Monday. Maura's going to call the mayor and set up her return to work too, hopefully for the same day."

"That's great, that's so great. Maura, honey, I am so glad to hear that you're coming home. And thank you for forgiving Jane. She can be such an asshole sometimes!"

"REALLY MA?"

"Well it's true, Janie. But I still love you anyway."

"I love her too, Angela. That's why it's easy to forgive her." Maura said.

"I am so happy for the two of you. So does this mean you're officially a couple now? Can I start telling people? Where are we going to look for wedding dresses?"

"TOO MUCH, TOO SOON, MA." Jane yelled.

"Well neither of the two of you are getting any younger. Now is the time for grandbabies!" Angela said.

"Ma, how about we concentrate on getting back to Boston first, and we'll worry about all the other stuff later?" Jane said.

"I think that's a good idea." Maura agreed.

"Fine. But don't think I'm going to forget about this."

"We know you won't, Ma." Jane said.

"Maura, honey, I'm gonna make a delicious dinner for the night you get home. And I'll make sure the house is spotless. I can't wait to see you again."

"I've missed you, Angela. I can't wait to see you again. Thank you for looking after the house. And if you don't mind, could we wait until Thursday for dinner? Jane and I are likely to be very tired when we get back on Wednesday. If we have a big family dinner on Thursday, we'll be more refreshed and not as jet lagged."

"Okay Maura, whatever you want." Angela said.

"How come you never say that to me?" Jane whined.

"Because you're not my Maura! I gotta go, girls, but call me again sometime before you come home and let me know your flight times. Do you need me to pick you up from the airport?"

"No thanks, Ma. Maura's got a car service to do that. We'll talk to you later in the week and we'll see you a week from today."

"Take care, Angela."

"I love you girls." Angela said.

"We love you too, Ma." Jane replied, and hung up the phone.

"Your mother is a real sweetheart." Maura said.

"Yeah, when she's not going through our drawers."

Maura laughed. "I have to call the mayor and make arrangements to return to work. Do you want to get washed up and get ready for bed while I'm on the phone?"

"Yeah, sure, I can do that." Jane said, and grabbed her pajamas and headed to the bathroom.


	18. Chapter 18

When Jane returned, Maura was on the phone, speaking in French. Jane watched her, unable to take her eyes off of her. Maura Isles on a good day was sexy as hell, but watching her speak in French? It was mind blowing. Jane had no idea what Maura was saying or to whom she was speaking, but she listened to Maura's entire conversation as if she understood every word. Maura just effused confidence and elegance, no matter what language she was speaking, but the fact that Jane didn't understand what Maura was saying gave her an even more exotic look.

Maura smiled over at her occasionally. She noticed the effect she was having on Jane and decided she would put it to good use tonight. She knew Jane had a thing for accents, but apparently using another language also did things to Jane. This was another "thing" of Jane's that Maura planned to file away for future use.

_"Oui, bien sur_ _."_ Maura said. _"Alors, merci beaucoup. Salut!"_

When Maura hung up, she looked over at Jane. "Did you understand any of that?"

"No, but do you have any idea how sexy you are when you speak in another language?" Jane said.

"Based on how you were staring at me, I'd say I was looking rather good."

"Good? You're amazing, did you know that?"

"A beautiful detective may have told me that once before, yes." Maura said.

Jane grinned at her and whispered as she started to kiss her, letting her hands wander. "You could talk to me in French any day." Jane kissed Maura's pulse point and then worked her way back to Maura's mouth.

_"Merde."_ Maura said after she moaned into Jane's kiss. She broke away just long enough to close the bedroom door and lock it. She walked back to Jane with a devilish gleam in her eye.

_"Veux-tu coucher avec_ _moi_ _, ce_ _soir?"_ She said, her voice low and deep.

"That sounds just like that song- OOH, Maura!" Jane exclaimed. "I thought we were going to wait a little while."

"We waited a whole twenty-four hours, Jane. That is a little while." Maura said as she embraced Jane and kissed her deeply. "Take this silly t-shirt off."

"No." Jane said, stepping out of Maura's embrace. "I don't have anything but panties on underneath it."

"Good, take those off too." Maura said as she gently pushed Jane down onto the bed.

"Really Maura, I thought we were going to wait." Jane said.

Maura stepped back and sighed. "Okay. But how long are we going to wait? I can't keep this up. I'm going to go mad if..."

"I don't want to make you wait. It's just that we just fought and I hurt you and you were so quick to forgive me. I don't feel like I deserve any of this. Not yet. I want to earn it. And I want our first time to be special."

"Are you sure that's it? You would tell me if you were afraid, right? I mean, I don't want to assume that, but you did run from this, and if that's the reason you want to wait, it's all right. I just want to know the truth."

"I am nervous about our first time, but honestly, that's not why I am putting it off. I am putting it off because I don't want our first time to be like make up sex, and I want our first time to be special. We've waited so long, please, could we just wait a little longer?"

"If that's what you want, then that's what you'll get." Maura said, hiding the disappointment she was feeling. She knew Jane was right, but Jane was right there in front of her in nothing but a baggy t-shirt and panties. How could she honestly be expected to keep her hands to herself with Jane like that now?

"Maura, I love you, and I want to make love to you. Just, not tonight, not right after we fought, and not with your parents in the house. Please?"

"I understand how you feel, and it's fine, Jane."

"Oh no. You said it's 'fine'". Jane said.

"Well it is fine. Your reasons are perfectly acceptable."

"Yes, but you used the word fine, Maura. Women only use the word fine when things are distinctly not fine."

"No, no Jane you're reading too much into the word. It's all right. It's okay. It's hunky fory."

"Dory. Hunky dory." Jane said with a laugh.

"You know what I mean."

"I do now." Jane said, and kissed Maura again. "I love you. Please give me a chance to make our first time special. I just want to sleep in your arms tonight, but if that's too much- or not enough- I can sleep on the couch. There is a couch somewhere in this house, right?"

Maura laughed. "Several, actually. But not in that tent you call a t-shirt, and no, you're not sleeping anywhere other than with me, in my bed, wrapped in my arms. And I reserve the right to kiss you whenever I feel like it."

"It's a deal, Maur." Jane said, and kissed her lips sweetly. "I want all the same things."

"Good, then let me go get changed. I'll be right back." Maura said as she grabbed her pajamas and headed to the bathroom. By the time she came back, Jane had already tucked herself into the bed.

"Is it okay that I sleep here, on this side?" Jane asked. "Henri put me up in here when I arrived, before I flew to Madrid to find you. I noticed which pillow smelled like your shampoo and I figured that was the side you slept on normally. So tonight I thought I would sleep right here."

"You were correct in your assessment. I do sleep on that side in this bed."

"I slept peacefully that night for the first time since... since I kicked you out of my apartment. I'm so sorry, Maura. I was such a jerk."

Maura lifted the covers and got into bed next to Jane. She wondered if Jane would ever stop apologizing. Jane had been wrong, and Maura had been hurt, but the last thing Maura wanted was for Jane to feel like she was going to hold what she did over Jane's head for the rest of her life.

"What matters now is that you're here, and we're together. Leave the past behind, Jane."

It almost seemed like Jane didn't hear her response. "I honestly think that I slept so well because it was the closest I had been to you in so long, and the scent of you on the pillow almost made it feel like you were right here with me. I know it sounds stupid, but I figured that if you wanted nothing to do with me when I got to Madrid, at least I would have had you close to me one last time."

"It doesn't sound stupid at all, Jane. I missed you so much. But tonight, we're here together. Together. Don't you love the sound of that? I do." Maura said.

"I do love the sound of that." Jane said. "But do you know what I love even more?"

"What?"

"You." Jane answered, and pulled Maura to her. "I don't ever want to spend another night away from you. I denied these feelings for so long. I wasted so much time."

"We can't go back and change things. But I wasted time too. Do you know how many times I just wanted to tell you I loved you, but was too afraid?"

"When did you want to tell me?"

"Every day. For years. But there were moments when it seemed like it would be a good time to do it. Do you remember the night we spent on the mattress in your living room and we talked about our wedding fantasies?"

"Yes."

"I wanted to kiss you so badly that night."

"I wish you would have. I wanted to kiss you too. I was so afraid, Maura. After all the conversations we had about not being each other's type and not wanting to sleep with one another, I thought you would never want me the same way I wanted you."

"I know. I thought exactly the same thing about you. You're scared to talk about intimacy on a good day. I was so afraid if I said anything at all about how I was feeling that you would run and I'd lose you. I couldn't help but keep hoping though that one day you'd say it, because I could feel it. I could feel that you loved me as much as I love you."

"But you never gave up." Jane said.

"I almost did. I came here to get over you." Maura replied.

"I'm sorry."

"I am too."

They were quiet for a few minutes before Maura turned to Jane and started speaking again. "You were so incredibly sexy in that white tank top that night on your mattress."

"Really?"

"Yes. Would you wear that tank top and those boyshorts for me again someday?"

"What is it with you and the shirts I wear? First it was this t-shirt, now you're telling me you like tank tops."

"No, I want to rip this t-shirt off of you. I want to do gloriously wicked things to you while you wear that tank top and boyshorts though."

Maura watched as Jane shuddered, clearly aroused by the idea. "That sounds..." Jane had to stop, her mind was too caught up in the possibilities to continue.

"It sounds positively orgasmic." Maura finished for her, and then leaned in to kiss her, Jane pulling her in as close as she could get her and kissing her right back.

* * *

 

They slept late the next morning, mostly because they had been up late making out like teenagers the night before. They both used considerable restraint and went no further than hours of kissing and touching. They fell asleep after Jane asked that they stop, because if they continued she was going to lose control. Maura reluctantly agreed. Maura considered herself a reasonable, patient person, but even she was starting to get impressed with the amount of self-control she was using in this situation. She wondered if this waiting was as hard on Jane as it was on herself, or if Jane's somewhat prudish nature made it easier for her to wait.

Jane woke up first, and watched Maura as she slept. They were tangled up in one another, Maura's leg draped over both of Jane's, and Jane's arms wrapped around Maura's waist. She laid there and listened to Maura sleeping. Jane had never considered herself sentimental, but being there like that, just listening to Maura as she slept was making her heart melt. She knew her actions of late did not earn her these feelings of warmth and love, but she was thankful for them anyway. She truly hoped she could wake up this way every day for the rest of her life. She had woken up next to Maura hundreds of times, but even that close proximity to one another didn't compare to waking up wrapped up in Maura's arms. They fit together perfectly. It was like they were made for one another.

Jane was lost in her thoughts when Maura began to stir. Maura lifted her head up off from Jane's chest and grinned at Jane. She could definitely get used to waking up like this. Jane smiled back at Maura and leaned in to kiss her.

"Good morning." Jane whispered.

"Good morning." Maura replied. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept wonderfully, but the best part was waking up like this with you." Jane said.

"I was thinking the same thing."

They started kissing again, and before long Maura had snaked a hand under Jane's t-shirt. Jane moaned into the kiss when she felt Maura's thumb rub over her nipple. Jane knew that she should ask Maura to stop, that this was not what they had kept talking about, but when Maura's hand went lower and cupped her sex, all of Jane's thoughts promptly flew out the window. Maura's hand burned through the panties Jane was wearing, and Jane was sure that Maura could feel how wet she was making her.

Jane had just blocked out the voice in the back of her head screaming for her to put a stop to things and maneuvered her hand under Maura's shirt. She was cupping Maura's breast when there was a soft knock at the door.

_"Filles, le petit déjeuner est_ _prêt et vos_ _parents vous_ _attendent."_ Henri said.

Jane and Maura froze, and Maura took her hand away from Jane's panties. Jane groaned at the loss of contact just low enough for Maura to hear it but not Henri outside the door.

_"Merci, Henri."_ Maura said. "Come on, Jane. Breakfast is ready and my parents are waiting for us. Let's get dressed."

They separated reluctantly, but not before Maura pulled Jane to her one more time and kissed her fiercely and then hissed. "This isn't over."

Jane was disappointed that they had been interrupted, but was also thankful. She probably would not have been able to stop herself had they not been interrupted, and what they had been doing was not keeping in line with their promise to make their first time special. It was a promise she really wanted to keep to Maura. Jane felt they had been through too much to make their first time anything less than special.

They got dressed and headed downstairs to the dining room, where Henri had laid out breakfast and Maura's parents were waiting.

"Good morning." Jane said as they walked into the dining room.

"Good morning." Maura said a second after Jane did. "Did you have a nice night?"

"I think we should ask you that question." Constance said with a grin. "You both slept awfully late. We thought we were going to have to eat without you."

Jane looked down and blushed. Maura cleared her throat before responding to her mother.

"Mother, I don't know what you think Jane and I do behind closed doors, but we just made up after a massive argument. I don't particularly enjoy these insinuations every morning at breakfast."

"Neither of you have heard the term 'make up sex'?" Constance asked, thoroughly enjoying the embarrassment she was treating both women to.

"MOTHER!"

"Oh come now, even I've heard the term." Maura's father said.

"FATHER!" Maura screeched.

Jane took a moment to look up from her hands, which she had been rubbing together in her lap as this went on and decided enough was enough. Jane understood that Maura must have gotten her openness about sex from her family, but this was more than awkward. Even Maura was getting uncomfortable.

"Dr. and Mrs. Isles, I think that it would be better if we changed the subject. I've asked Maura to wait before we... um, you know. And the reason for that is because I want our first time to be special. But I also don't feel comfortable discussing this with everyone, and I think Maura is equally uncomfortable. So maybe we could talk about something else? Maybe about our plans to visit the city today?"

Constance smiled. "Very well, Jane. Maura told me you've been to Paris before."

"Yes, during Spring break my senior year in high school. We spent 3 days here and 2 days in London."

"Is there anything here you haven't seen, or would like to see again?" Maura asked.

"I want to be a tourist today. Go to the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. I want to take a picture on the bridge over the Seine that Amelie walked over."

"Who is Amelie?" All of the Isles asked in unison.

"It's a movie. Gosh," Jane paused. "Maura, we're definitely putting that on your Netflix queue. It's an award winning French film. How have you not seen it?"

"I'm surprised you have." Maura said as she poked Jane in the ribs.

"Hey!" Jane squealed.

"We can visit all of those places. And we'll have an early dinner in the city, though I'm afraid my husband won't be able to join us."

"Duty calls. I have a meeting this afternoon with a colleague that I simply cannot miss before I go back to Tanzania. I hope you'll excuse my absence."

"But Dr. Isles, I wanted to take everyone out to dinner." Jane said.

"You can the next time we're all in Boston. How does that sound?"

Jane allowed herself to be placated. "Sure. That would be great. I'll take Maura and Constance out tonight anyway. I'm calling that NOW, ladies. So don't try anything when the check comes later." Jane looked at both women, because she'd been out with them before and knew they had secret, telepathic ways to get the waiter or waitress to hand them the check and not her. And then they would refuse to relinquish it no matter how much Jane insisted that she was treating. It had happened when Constance was in Boston and it had happened countless times when Jane was alone with Maura. She wasn't going to let them get away with it in Paris now. Not after everything they had done for her.

Constance and Maura looked at each other. "Sure Jane." Maura said. She knew her mother wouldn't agree as easily, but she'd let Jane deal with her mother later.

"We'll see." Constance said. She wasn't used to being taken out to dinner by anyone other than her husband, and she was still a bit wary about Jane. She wondered what Jane's motivations were about abstaining when it came to Maura. Maura and Jane were adults and were perfectly capable of making their own decisions, but she'd never known Maura to abstain from something like this, and she wondered if she was going along with it simply for Jane's benefit. It made Constance wary of Jane's motives. Constance feared that Jane was scared to move this relationship with Maura forward, and the last thing Constance wanted to see was Maura back on her doorstep, once again lost and irreparably hurt.

Jane eyed Constance, sensing the older woman's mistrust of her. Maybe she had gained Maura's forgiveness and had kept Maura's trust, but she hadn't regained the trust of Constance yet. It was something Jane knew she was going to have to work on.

* * *

 

Translations:

"Oui, bien sur." "Alors, merci beaucoup. Salut!" Yes, of course. OK, thank you. Goodbye.

"Veux-tu coucher avec moi, ce soir?" Do you want to sleep with me tonight?

"Filles, le petit déjeuner est prêt et vos parents vous attendent." Girls, breakfast is ready and your parents are waiting for you.


	19. Chapter 19

They spent the day wandering around Paris, being the quintessential tourists. Jane used her cell phone to snap dozens of pictures, hoping Maura would want to add some of them to the her photo album when they returned home. Maura had seemed reluctant at first to take the boat tour of the Seine, and Jane was quick to relent, not wanting to make Maura do anything she didn't want to do, but Maura suddenly changed her mind and decided the boat tour would be a good idea. This puzzled Jane but she didn't question it. Maybe Maura was a little angry with Jane even though she kept saying she wasn't. Jane really just wanted to make sure that she didn't step out of line. The last thing she wanted to do was aggravate Maura somehow. She made a mental note to ask Maura about that later and make sure things were still okay between them. Things had seemed fine up until the boat tour though, so Jane replayed the last hour or so in her mind, trying to figure out if there was something she said or did that would have been misconstrued. She couldn't think of anything, and Maura was already starting to cheer up as they approached the dock.

They stepped on board with the rest of the tourists waiting with them, and found a seat for Constance. Constance had been a good sport about everything, but it looked as if her strength was starting to flag. It was sometimes difficult to remember that she had been in a serious hit and run accident earlier that year. She walked without a limp, and her outwardly visible injuries had all healed. Too much walking, however, caused Constance to tire, and Jane was sure the woman was in pain, though she hadn't said as much. She took her own seat next to the weary looking Constance.

"Constance, we don't have to do this. We can go back home." Jane said as Maura left to go buy bottled water for the three of them from the small cafe on board.

"I'm having a lovely time. It's refreshing to see Paris through your eyes." Constance replied.

"It is wonderful to see this again. I didn't appreciate it when I came here in high school."

"It's good to see you can learn from your mistakes and appreciate the second chances life offers." Constance said.

Jane knew Constance wasn't referring to seeing Paris again as an adult. "Constance, I know I've earned Maura's trust again, but I haven't earned yours. I could tell you that I am not going to squander this second chance with her, but instead I'd rather show you. And doing that takes time. It would be easy for me to tell you my intentions regarding Maura, but in the end they're just words. I spent years denying my feelings for her and months running from her. I hurt her. I've apologized to her, and I apologize to you too, for hurting your daughter. You're probably right in thinking that she deserves someone better than me, but I promised her I would love her forever, and that is exactly what I am going to do. I am going to show her, and by extension, show you, that I love her every day."

Constance nodded, pondering Jane's words. "When I first met you, I knew right away that Maura had feelings for you. I waited the entire time I was there for Maura to tell me the two of you were together, figuring it would take her a day or two to get up the courage to tell me. You could imagine my surprise when she told me, a few weeks later, that you were dating a man who was serving in Afghanistan.

"Maura is very intelligent, as you well know, Jane. But sometimes she is too innocent for her own good. I was surprised at the speed with which she forgave you. You'll need to understand that at this moment, I think her innocence is blinding her a bit. I fear that she hasn't allowed herself to be angry with you. I think she deserves that moment of anger, considering what you did to her."

"I agree, Constance. I was surprised at how willing she was to listen to me and let me apologize to her. But we also have to remember that it's not in Maura's nature to be angry or hold grudges. When she does that, she does it at a huge personal cost. She told me she had spent enough time missing me, and if forgiving me is what could bring us together, she was ready to forgive me. I think that's incredibly noble of her, and not really unexpected. However, I am not taking her forgiveness for granted."

"You do know her well." Constance acknowledged. "She usually is quick to forgive. She doesn't forget though, and neither do I."

"I know her better than anyone, perhaps with the exception of you. And that's why I've been trying to go slow with her. I think you may feel I am afraid of pursuing a relationship with her. I was afraid of that, for too long. I created this situation, but please give me some credit for coming here to try and apologize to her. I never imagined that we would go from irreparably separated to lovers after an hour-long apology. But I love Maura, and I'm going to prove it to her, and to everyone else, every day. I'm not going to run from her again. And if Maura decides that we're moving too fast or too slow for her liking, I'm going to make whatever adjustments are necessary to make sure she is always happy. I asked her to go slowly because I didn't want our first days together to feel rushed, or the result of my horrible actions. I asked her to wait before we did anything more than kiss because more than anything I want that moment with her to be special and not the result of an apology. I've explained that to her. I'm no longer scared of taking that step with her, and when the time is right, we will take it."

"I think that's prudent. It sounds to me like you've got your head on straight for the first time since this whole mess started." Constance said.

"I hurt Maura, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. So for the rest of my life, I'm going to make sure I let her know how much I love her. Every day. I wasted so much time, Constance. I will not waste a single second more. Please give me the chance to prove that."

"I will, Jane. But remember this: I will not tolerate you hurting her again. I will not tolerate her experiencing another moment's pain at your hands. I told her when she first arrived on my doorstep that I couldn't imagine her with anyone other than you. But I also told her that if you continued to misbehave, I would change my opinion. I still can, and I can still communicate that change of opinion to my daughter."

"I know, Constance. I understand." Jane said solemnly.

"Hey, what's going on?" Maura asked, suddenly beside them with three bottles of water.

"We were just discussing our mutual admiration of you." Jane said, not lying, entirely.

"You both looked so... serious." Maura said, worriedly.

"Well, you are a serious matter, darling." Constance said.

"Really, what just happened? What did I miss?" Maura said.

"Well, it looks like you missed the first five minutes of the boat tour. Your mother and I were so deep in our conversation, we missed it too."

"You're changing the subject, Jane." Maura accused.

"I am. Your mother and I just had another nice talk. I think we're both on the same page again. And we both agree, we love you very, very much." Jane wrapped her arm around Maura and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Mother?" Maura asked.

"Just enjoy the ride, dear. And thank you for the water."

Maura looked at Jane pointedly. Jane opened her bottle of water and took a long swig of it. "Hey Maur, remember that time in Boston when your mother and I had a nice chat at her gallery opening?"

"You sent me to get something to drink and told her to be a better mother." Maura said.

"Yup, and just now we sent you to go get water and your mother told me to be a better friend and an awesome girlfriend to you." Jane said.

"MOTHER!" Maura yelled, causing several heads to turn and the tour guide to pause momentarily in his commentary.

"It wasn't anything that I didn't deserve, Maur." Jane said simply. "And I think your mother and I have come to an agreement."

"What kind of an agreement?" Maura asked.

"We both are going to do everything we can to make sure you are happy, every day, forever." Jane said.

"I've got to stop going to get beverages for you two. I don't need to be looked after like this. I'm an adult!" Maura said as she slumped in the seat next to Jane.

"Don't sit like that, darling, it's bad posture." Constance said, ignoring Maura's tirade.

Maura grunted, sat up straighter, and Jane leaned in and kissed her cheek again. "I love you Maur, bad posture and all."

Maura pushed Jane's face away playfully, and they sat back to listen to the tour. It didn't take long for Maura to lean over onto Jane, and Jane wrapped her arm around Maura's shoulders. Whatever hesitancy there had been before they got on the boat was gone, and Jane thought Maura seemed to really be enjoying herself. Constance kept a watchful eye on them all the time, and Jane wondered if her displays of affection were being noted or were being questioned as being too showy. Inwardly, Jane shrugged. She was going to show Maura she loved her, and she didn't care if Constance was suspicious of her motives. Earning trust took time, and took more than words. Even though they'd spoken, Jane knew that she and Constance were going to have more talks just like the one they had today, and it would be a while before things were normal for the two of them.

About an hour later, everyone's mood was a bit better. They disembarked at the Eiffel Tower stop and started walking toward the hulking tower. Jane noticed that Constance was starting to slow down.

"Constance, let's go home. It has been a long day, and I am sure your physical therapist would advise against you exerting yourself like this." Jane said.

"Actually my physical therapist has been encouraging me to walk more. So I will walk with the two of you to the tower and then I will enjoy a cup of tea in the second floor cafe while you two go to the top."

"Are you sure, Mother? We can always come back tomorrow." Maura said.

"Nonsense. We're here now. Let's go." Constance said.

"If you're sure, we can do that." Jane said, and they continued walking toward the tower. It was a gorgeous, albeit scorching hot day and Jane was sure that the views would be beautiful.

When they arrived at the tower, Jane got on line to buy their tickets. Maura and Constance waited on a bench so that Constance could rest.

"Mother, what did you say to Jane earlier?" Maura asked once Jane had left.

"She and I had a nice little chat about what I expect of her. I told her that while you were quick to forgive her, I have your best interests at heart, and I would not abide her hurting you again."

"Mother, thank you for looking out for me, but please do not threaten Jane."

"I assure you I did no such thing. And Jane was understanding of my position. We clarified some things, and I feel a bit more confident about her intentions. She says she loves you, and she intends to prove it every day. Provided she does exactly that, she and I will have no problems."

"And I know she means that, Mother. So please let me give her that chance." Maura responded.

"I just think you should be careful. She did deny her feelings for you and run from you. What makes you think something else won't happen to scare her off?"

"She won't run off again, because she promised she wouldn't, and Jane keeps her promises. I trust her, Mother. Please trust in my judgment."

"Very well, dear." Constance said. "Just know that I'll always be here for you if you need me again."

"Thank you, Mother. It was good to be able to come to you when all of this happened. I'm glad we've been able to become closer. I appreciate the chat we had when I first arrived, and I loved doing a gallery opening with you in Madrid."

"It's been wonderful having you home again. I love you very much, Maura. And I will get better at showing you."

"I love you too, Mother."

Jane came back with the tickets not long after that. They walked to the line to get into the tower together, Jane unaware of the conversation that had taken place while she was gone, but happy to see Maura smiling when she returned.

* * *

 

Constance had accompanied the two women up to the second level, where they had to switch elevators to continue to the top of the tower. She decided to rest for a bit in the cafe there, and that left Jane and Maura to wander around the upper level by themselves.

The upper deck wasn't as crowded as it should have been. The late afternoon heat had driven most of the tourists to cooler sights along the Seine, where there was still some semblance of a breeze. Jane and Maura looked around, both of them snapping a few photos, and then found a quiet corner where they were almost alone. They stood facing the city, admiring the views. Behind them, on the opposite side of the tower, most of the tourists had crowded around a man that was kneeling before his girlfriend and asking her to marry him. The few tourists on the upper deck applauded when she responded with a resounding "oui!".  
Jane and Maura looked on from the opposite end of the deck and smiled.

"This may sound funny, considering how new our relationship is, but I've spent the better part of the day thinking that every place we visited today would be a beautiful place to propose to you." Jane said to Maura after they watched the couple across the way kiss.

"It's not funny at all. I've been doing the same thing." Maura said, wrapping an arm around Jane's waist.

"Have you really?"

"Yes." Maura said. "I mean, we're not ready for that yet. But I want to point out to you that our relationship is several years older than you give it credit for. I think that before all of these things with Casey happened, we were probably in a stronger relationship than most of the married couples we know."

At the mention of Casey, Jane's face fell. "I ruined everything. How could I have been so stupid, Maura?"

"You were scared, Jane. I was scared too. Scared I would lose you. And losing you was just as scary as I feared it would be. Probably more so."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. The only thing we can do now is go back to being the strong couple we were before we even acknowledged that we were a couple. And we have to move forward. I don't want to hide my feelings for you. And we've both got to be better about telling each other if we're scared of something. Honesty works best for us. We can't hide things from each other anymore."

"I hope you won't hide your feelings from me anymore. I certainly won't hide mine from you." Jane said, and leaned forward to kiss Maura. "I love you." She said as they broke apart.

"I love you, too." Maura said as she leaned in to kiss her back. They were lost in each other for a few minutes, enjoying the warm Parisian sunshine and the feel of having each other so close. Maura pulled away to catch her breath, letting her forehead rest against Jane's. Maura smiled at her, and Jane smiled back. And then they heard it.

*Click*

They both looked over to where Constance had suddenly appeared, standing with her cell phone out. "What a beautiful picture of the two of you. When the time comes, you should use that as your engagement photo."

"Mother!" Maura exclaimed, more giddy at the idea than angry at the pressure her mother and Angela were already applying to the two of them.

Jane giggled, taking a single step back from Maura so she could look at Constance and address her. "Constance, just out of curiosity, is my mother giving you lessons? Because that phrase came directly out of her book."

Constance laughed. "No Jane, but thank you for reminding me. I'm going to send her a copy of that picture. She would enjoy seeing it."

Jane and Maura groaned in stereo.

"You better not start going through my drawers!" Maura admonished while Jane laughed.

"How adorable, you even groan like an old married couple! And I couldn't possibly go through your drawers from here, Darling. I have Angela for that." Constance said sweetly as she sent off the text and watched Maura's jaw drop. "Come on girls, I'm tired and you must both be hungry. Let's head home and have something to eat."

"But I thought I was going to take us out for dinner tonight?" Jane said, clearly disappointed.

"I'm sorry Jane, could we do that tomorrow? I am absolutely exhausted. Would you mind terribly?" Constance said.

"Sure, that's fine. I don't want you to overexert yourself. Tomorrow it is. Maybe Dr. Isles can join us."

"Mother, you don't really ask Angela to go through my drawers, do you?" Maura asked cautiously.

"Of course not, Darling." After a pause she added "I don't have to ask her, she just does it."

Jane groaned, and with that they headed for the elevator to take them back down to ground level.


	20. Chapter 20

They had stepped off of the Metro and were making their way back to Maura's parents' neighborhood when Maura stopped suddenly. "Mother, would you mind taking Jane back to the house? I have a quick errand I need to run. I'll be home shortly."

"Certainly. Is everything okay?" Constance asked.

"Maura?" Jane asked at the same time.

"It's fine. Just something I need to take care of. Jane would you please go home with my mother and make sure she rests? I promise I will be home soon. Really, everything is all right. I will be home as soon as I can." Maura could see the concern written all over Jane's face and she wanted to reassure her, but she didn't have much time. The shops would start closing soon and she needed several items and still had several arrangements to make.

Jane was clearly confused, but Constance was already tugging on her arm. "Um, okay, I guess. Are you sure everything is all right?"

"It's fine Jane. Don't worry. I would ask you to come with me but I would prefer it if you would make sure my mother gets home safely and sits down to rest. I will be home soon. Please go home with my mother." Maura smiled reassuringly at both women and turned right at the corner while Jane and Constance continued straight ahead.

"What was that all about?" Constance asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Jane replied, clearly as confused as Constance by Maura's sudden secrecy. Maura seemed to be deep in thought almost all day long, and Jane was beginning to wonder if Maura was having second thoughts about their reunion. Jane was suddenly a little afraid to be left alone with Constance again, wondering if Constance was beginning to think the same thing. She hoped Constance didn't have anything else to talk to her about, like she had earlier in the day while Maura was picking up some bottled water for them. Jane knew she had that talk coming to her, but that didn't mean it had been pleasant or something she wanted to relive.

* * *

 

Maura first walked to the train station and picked up tickets for Henri to take the train to visit his daughter over the weekend. She treated him to a first class seat on the high speed bullet train, something she was sure the man had never done before in his visits to his daughter. Maura had big plans for this weekend, and she didn't want the well-meaning grandfather-figure hovering around. She knew he would appreciate these tickets and she was happy to buy them for him. She adored Henri as much as Henri adored her, and she knew it had been too long since he had been able to go spend time with his daughter.

Afterward, Maura arrived at the boutique that had outfitted Jane prior to her arrival in Madrid and asked to speak to the stylist. The stylist greeted her warmly, happy to see Maura back so soon. Her paychecks had been quite nice these last few weeks, thanks mostly to the commissions she earned from sales to the Isles family.

"I believe you helped fit a member of my family earlier in the week. Do you still have her measurements?"

"I do! What an exquisite specimen! Are you looking for something else for her?" The stylist asked.

"Well she needs some pajamas, first of all. And then I'd like to see the new line of lingerie you were telling me about when I was here. Lastly, she's going to need a few more outfits as she is extending her stay. Oh, and you know what? She needs a suit for Sunday night. Nothing too fancy, but definitely something that will flatter her figure. "

"Wow, okay." The stylist said. "About how many more outfits will she need? And should they all be casual?"

"Let's go for four more outfits, all casual. She'll need matching shoes and undergarments. I'll leave those choices up to you, as I know you're going to be closing soon. I'll arrange to have my housekeeper pick them up tomorrow, if that's all right. But the pajamas I need for tonight, and if you have the time I would like to see the lingerie."

"Yes, of course. And the suit?" The stylist asked.

"I would like to see the suit tonight as well, please."

"As you wish!" The stylist said with a smile, then started ordering her assistants around. Within minutes there was a growing number of garments on a rack next to Maura.

"Are we getting anything for you today?" The stylist asked Maura.

"Yes, I'll need a dress to match the suit we pick out and I will be purchasing lingerie to complement what we pick out for Jane."

"Ooh la la." The stylist said with a genuine smile. "Had I known you were into women, I would have asked you out years ago."

Maura smiled at her. "I would have turned you down. Jane is the only woman to ever capture my heart. It wouldn't have worked out for us."

"Too bad." The stylist said with a good natured shrug, and she finished gathering the items Maura had requested.

Before long Maura had a set of silk pajamas similar to her own for Jane to wear. She was tired of seeing Jane in that ridiculous t-shirt the airline had given her when they lost her luggage. She also had picked out a beautiful summer-weight suit for Jane that complemented a simple, knee-length dress she had picked out for herself. The dress, the suit and the lingerie were for Sunday night, when Maura had something very secret and very special planned for Jane. She had been hesitant to get on the boat tour of the Seine earlier in the day because she had been speaking to her acquaintance, a wealthy Greek shipping magnate, about renting his yacht over the weekend. She didn't want Jane to tire of being on boats, but then thought it was better to just go along with Jane's wishes and not give anything away. It had taken her as long as it had to come back to her mother and Jane with their bottled water because she had been finalizing her plans with the Greek yacht owner. Everything was set now, and Maura just needed to tie up a few loose ends.

Maura handed the stylist her credit card and took the package with the pajamas with her. The stylist said she would have the outfits picked out for Jane and ready for pick up tomorrow. Maura thanked her, tipped her generously, and headed toward home.

When Maura walked in she ran into Henri. She asked him to pick up the clothing she had just arranged for at the boutique.

"Pourriez-vous prendre quelques vêtements à la boutique demain, s'il vous plaît ? Ils sont déjà payé."

"Oui, bien sûr." Henri said with a smile.

"Merci."

"Your beautiful detective is trapped with your mother and father. I think perhaps you should rescue her. I will have dinner ready for you all in about an hour. I am sorry for the delay, but I thought you were all going to a restaurant to eat and I didn't prepare anything for your father at his request."

"We thought we were going to a restaurant as well, but mother tires easily since her injury. Perhaps Jane and I could give you a hand? Jane would never admit it, but she is a wonderful cook."

"It isn't necessary, Maura. But thank you. I will let you know when it is ready. I made something simple, but something I think your beautiful detective will appreciate it."

"Thank you Henri. Jane and I have a surprise for you too, we're going to give it to you tomorrow. Thank you for all that you've done for us these past few days."

"It is my job, Maura."

"You've done more than your job, and I appreciate it very much."

"I am so glad to see you happy, Maura. That is all that matters to me. Please, go rescue your girlfriend. Your parents are... what is the word? Interrogation her?"

"Interrogating her?" Maura asked.

"Yes, please, go check on her. She needs you."

Maura raced into the living room and found Jane sandwiched between her mother and her father on the spacious couch. Maura instantly recalled the conversation she had with her mother earlier and was nearly furious at the thought of her mother giving Jane another stern talking-to. She calmed down considerably though, when she heard what her father asked as she walked in.

"So in this movie, this woman decides to do random acts of kindness for other people?"

"Yes," Jane answered for what felt like the nine hundredth time. These people asked more questions about movies than priests asked during confession. "She decides to do this after Princess Diana is killed in the tunnel."

"But why?" Constance asked.

"Because she thought it would be a good idea. She found a treasure hidden by a young boy and thought she should return it to him now that he was grown up. She witnesses his reaction and realizes it is nice to do acts of kindness for others. You should really watch the movie, this would make more sense if you did."

"And her goldfish commits suicide?" Dr. Isles asked, obviously puzzled.

"He tries to, but they get him back in his bowl and then Amelie's mother dumps him into a creek. That happens much earlier in the film."

"Why would she do such a horrible thing? Was Amelie not just a child when this took place?" Constance asked, horrified.

"Because her mother could not stand the stress of caring for a suicidal goldfish." Jane answered.

"And then she walks over a bridge in Paris? What is the point of her doing that?" Constance asked.

"No, that's much later. It's during a short scene when Amelie feels good about herself. Confident. That's why I wanted to do that today. I felt good about myself for the first time in a long time."

"What on earth are you all talking about?" Maura asked, relieved that there was no actual interrogation going on in the room. Either Henri had misunderstood, or they really had been questioning Jane with these off-the-wall topics since she had been at the boutique.

"The movie Amelie. I suggested we watch it this evening, but your parents had a lot of questions about it. Perhaps it's a movie best left for another time." Jane responded.

"I'm just not sure I understand the plot." Constance said in explanation to Maura.

"It makes more sense when you watch the movie. It's really a lighthearted film with a happy ending. It won some awards."

"Seems like they give awards out for just about anything now." Maura's father remarked. "I don't understand modern cinema at all."

"Jane, could I see you upstairs, please?" Maura asked, trying to get her out of there before they could ask her about anything else related to pop culture.

"Yes, please. Please can you see me upstairs?" Jane asked in a flustered response, jumping up off the couch and following Maura out of the room.

They returned to Maura's room and Jane hugged Maura in relief. "Thank you. I like your parents, I genuinely do, but please remind me to never, ever bring up pop culture around them ever again."

Maura laughed. "I picked this up for you." She pushed the shopping bag with the pajamas in it toward Jane. "I also picked up the train tickets for Henri for this weekend.

Jane opened the bag and took out the pajamas. "Oh, thank you, Maura! These are just like yours!"

"I got tired of seeing you in that tent of a t-shirt. These should be more comfortable."

"That was really sweet of you, thanks."

"Jane, I hope you won't mind, but I also took the liberty of arranging for some additional clothes for you. Since we're going to be here a while longer than we anticipated, I thought you might be more comfortable with some additional outfits to wear."

"Maura, you didn't have to do that. I could always wash these clothes and wear them again." Jane said.

"Yes, but you look so good in them, and I like the idea of you going home with some designer clothes from Paris to wear when we go out."

"I can't repay you for this though." Jane said. "I feel guilty accepting them."

"Please don't. I wanted to do this for you. You really do look terrific, you know."

Jane blushed. "Thanks Maur."

"Jane, I have one more thing to ask of you. It's pretty big."

"Name it." Jane said.

"Would you go out on a date with me on Sunday night? I've got something in the works that I think both of us will really enjoy."

"I would love to do that. What have you got planned?" Jane asked.

"It's a surprise. But I promise you that you'll like it." Maura knew Jane was particularly wary of surprises, but she had nothing planned that Jane wouldn't like.

"Okay." Jane said.

"Really? You're not going to argue or pout over the idea of a surprise?" Maura asked, surprised herself.

"I'm going to thank my lucky stars that you forgave me and actually want to go out on a date. So no, no pouting."

"Good. Henri is picking up your suit tomorrow. It matches my dress. I think you're going to love it."

"Wow, you accomplished a lot while you were at the boutique." Jane said. "All I managed to do while you were gone is thoroughly confuse your parents on the merits of watching the movie Amelie."

Maura laughed. "We're going to have a wonderful time Sunday night. I can't wait."

"Me either." Jane said, and she kissed Maura. She loved being able to do this. She mentally kicked herself for running from it for so long.

"Let's go downstairs and see if Henri needs any help. He's making dinner in your honor tonight."

"Is he really?" Jane asked. "I wonder what he's making."

"Let's go find out." Maura said, and led Jane down the stairs to the kitchen by the hand.

They found Henri down in the kitchen, pots and pans banging around.

"Salut mignonnes!" He greeted them cheerfully.

"Nous pouvons vous aider, si vous voulez." Maura said as Jane watched, trying to understand the conversation. She loved the way Maura sounded when she spoke in French.

"It is not necessary Maura." Henri said in English, unused to speaking to Maura in anything other than French, but knowing Jane didn't understand what they were saying. "But perhaps the beautiful detective can tell me how much Parmesan cheese to put in these meatballs?"

Jane looked at the chopped meat and the breadcrumbs and the pile of freshly grated cheese and smiled. "I would love to, Henri."

Jane started mixing the ingredients together, showing Henri the correct portion sizes for everything. Henri watched and learned.

"I am making us spaghetti and meatballs. Not the most creative pasta dish, but easy on short notice." Henri said.

"That sounds great, Henri." Jane said. "How is the sauce coming?"

"Perhaps you can taste it and tell me if it is seasoned correctly?" Henri said. "I am more used to preparing French cuisine."

Jane tasted the sauce. "It's not bad, Henri, but do you have a clove of garlic and some basil?"

Henri looked to Maura for a translation, and once he had it, he jumped up and gave the ingredients to Jane. Jane quickly sauteed the garlic and placed it in with the sauce, and mixed in the fresh basil after breaking it up a bit.

"Let's let that simmer for a few minutes and taste it again." Jane said.

Maura sat back and watched Jane interacting with Henri, giving him pointers that she knew Jane had learned from her mother. Henri soaked it up, thrilled to have Maura and her beautiful girlfriend in the kitchen with him.

"When Maura was a girl, she would help me cook." Henri said.

"What did she cook with you?" Jane asked Henri, but looked at Maura as she asked.

"Everything." Henri said. "She was always so quick to learn. I loved it when she would visit with me in the kitchen. It made me miss my daughter a little less."

Jane remembered Maura mentioning Henri's daughter and the train ticket they were going to buy him so he could go visit her. She looked at Maura and Maura seemed to catch on to Jane's line of thought.

"Henri, hold that thought. I'll be right back." Maura said, and dashed out of the kitchen to go get the train ticket.

"What is she doing?" Henri asked.

"Wait, you'll see. We have a surprise for you. We were going to give it to you tomorrow, but now is a better time. Tell me a little bit about your daughter while we wait." Jane said.

"She moved to Lyon with her mother when she was just seven years old. I love her very much, but it did not work out with her mother and I. I am older than her mother and I think she wanted the company of a younger man."

"I'm sorry to hear it. Do you see her often?"

"Not as often as I wish. Usually just around Christmas. I came here to work for the Isles when the divorce was over. Maura is a few years younger than my daughter. She sometimes reminds me of my daughter. Smart, pretty. I love Maura the way I love my daughter." Henri said.

"I love Maura too." Jane said.

"I am happy you are together with her. You make her happy."

"She makes me happy too." Jane said as the door to the kitchen opened and Maura came back in.

"Henri, I hope you didn't have any plans for this weekend?" Maura asked.

"No, I do not." Henri said.

"Well you do now. I hope you don't mind, but Jane and I wanted to thank you for all you've done for us over the last few days, so we got you a train ticket to Lyon to visit your daughter."

Henri's face lit up. "Really? For me?" He asked.

"Yes, Henri. Thank you so much." Jane said.

"But who will look after you this weekend while your parents are away? There will be no one here to see you off on Wednesday."

"It's okay, Henri. We're big girls. We can get to the airport on our own." Jane said with a smile.

"Someone I know taught me how to cook, so we won't go hungry." Maura added.

Henri smiled at the two of them. "Thank you so much. Could you excuse me? I would like to phone my daughter and tell her I will come to visit this weekend."

"Of course Henri. I'll take the sauce off and we'll get the dishes ready for dinner. Please take your time." Jane said.

Henri walked away and they could hear him speaking in animated French on the telephone.

"He's so excited, and I think his daughter is excited too. He is saying 'I cannot wait to see you' to her." Maura translated.

"That was a wonderful gift. I left some Euros in your purse for them, because I knew you wouldn't take it from me if I tried to give it to you in person." Jane said with a smile.

"You didn't have to do that." Maura said.

"Yes I did. I owe him a thanks too, and you've paid for far too much for me already."

"Still, Jane, you didn't have to." Maura said as Jane removed the pasta from the boiling water and put it in a bowl.

"Nonsense, Maura. Let's not even worry about it, all right?"

"But Jane-"

Jane cut her off. "Can we just get through this dinner?" Jane asked with a laugh. She had missed this back and forth with Maura, and was so glad to be able to share in a meal with her again. She really didn't think this would ever be possible after what she had done, and she said a silent thank you for all the second chances she had been given.

* * *

 

Translations:

_"Pourriez-vous prendre_ _quelques_ _vêtements à la_ _boutique demain_ _, s'il_ _vous_ _plaît ? Ils sont déjà payé."_ Could you pick up some clothes at the boutique tomorrow, please? They are already paid for.

_"Oui, bien sûr."_ Yes, of course.

_"Merci."_ Thanks.

_"Salut mignonnes_ _!"_ [Roughly] Hello cuties!

_"Nous pouvons_ _vous_ _aider, si vous_ _voulez."_ We can help you, if you would like.

 


	21. Chapter 21

Friday morning they all got up to see Maura's father off to the airport. Maura and Jane offered to drop him off, since Henri would be leaving to go visit his daughter a few hours later, and he needed time to pick up the clothes Maura had purchased at the boutique and then pack for himself when he returned.

Jane didn't know how to thank Maura's father for all that he did for her while she visited.

"Dr. Isles, thank you so much. I can't thank you enough for your generosity, your hospitality, and most of all how good you've been to me." Jane said as she pulled him into a tight hug at the airport.

Dr. Isles was surprised at the show of affection, but returned Jane's hug. "Remember your promise. Just make Maura happy."

"I will. Every day." Jane said solemnly.

"Good. Have a safe trip back to Boston, Jane. Take good care of my Maura."

"You got it, sir." Jane said.

He leaned in and gave Maura a hug, surprising Maura. "You have a safe trip home. And come back and visit us again soon. It's been wonderful having you around."

"Thank you, Father." Maura said.

"I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too." She said to him. "Have a safe trip and come see me in Boston soon. There are so many people there I want you to meet."

"I will. I'm looking forward to it."

He gave her a peck on her cheek and then walked toward the security gate, passport in hand. Jane wondered why he was flying a commercial flight, since they had their own jet, but then surmised that the distance may have been too much for the smaller private plane.

"Your dad is a pretty wonderful guy." Jane said as she took Maura's hand and they exited the airport.

"Yes, he is." Maura said, still amazed that he had both hugged and kissed her in public. She couldn't remember him ever doing that before.

"So we're going to take Henri to the train station, and then what?" Jane asked.

"Well, then we're going to need to pack for our date."

"Pack?" Jane asked, surprised.

"Yes, we're taking a little trip. I hope you won't mind another ride in a private jet?" Maura asked. Now Jane knew why Maura's father wasn't using the Isles jet for his trip.

"Where are we going?"

"I promise to tell you when we're on board the plane. The weather is beautiful and I want to take advantage of it. We're going to have a lovely first date."

"I have no idea how any date I take you on is ever going to live up to this." Jane said.

"Just be there, and it'll be the best date I've ever been on. Every time." Maura said, and kissed Jane's cheek.

"How do you do that?" Jane asked.

"Do what?"

"Make me feel so damn good even when I know I can't compare to you?"

"This is not a competition, Jane. And I'd like to spend the rest of my life making you feel good. Seeing you happy makes me feel happy." Maura said.

"You're really the best thing that's ever happened to me." Jane said sincerely. "I can't wait to go on this date with you. Our first official date. It's going to be amazing!"

"I'm glad you're excited about it. When I told you it was going to be a surprise, I thought for sure you would argue with me." Maura said.

"I'm going to try to never argue with you again. I've had more than enough of that." Jane said with a sheepish grin.

"Good." Maura said, and they continued on their way home.

* * *

 

When they arrived back at Maura's parents' house, Henri had already returned with the clothes that the stylist had picked out for Jane and was busy packing his own bag.

"Henri, would you like us to drive you to the train station?" Maura asked.

"No, that is not necessary. I will go in a taxi." Henri said.

"Not at all. Don't be silly, Henri. I will drive you over to the train station. Let me know when you are ready to leave."

Maura found Jane upstairs in the bedroom, looking at the outfits the stylist sent over. She had to admit that they were a bit more feminine than she was used to, and somewhat more formal on her scale of casual clothing, but she liked them and she could tell she was going to look good in them. She wondered how much Maura had spent on her. It wasn't right for Maura to buy her these clothes. She needed to think of a creative way to repay her. Jane continued digging through the shopping bag and came across two very exotic sets of lingerie, and suddenly she knew what Maura had in mind.

She was nervous about that aspect of their relationship. She was ready for it, even eager to experience it. But she had never been with a woman before and she didn't think Maura had been either. She didn't want to mess it up. She didn't want to appear to be the bumbling fool that she knew she might be. She really just wanted everything to be perfect for Maura, and she was afraid she might not be able to do that.

Maura walked in and saw Jane eying the lingerie, and caught the worried expression on Jane's face.

"I only picked that up in case you wanted to, you know. But I want you to know that we don't have to. Not if you're not ready, or if you don't want to, or if you think that we need to wait a little while longer. You weren't supposed to find those. I don't want you to think that I am expecting anything the night of our date." Maura said.

"I'm nervous, but I don't see why we need to plan this out. Let's go on this date you have planned and see what happens when we get there, okay?"

"Does it make you feel better that I'm nervous too?" Maura asked.

"In a way it does, but in a way it makes me even more nervous. You're always so confident and so perfect. Knowing you're nervous makes me feel like I should try harder, to make it perfect for you. But I don't know if I can be perfect. I've never done this before. With a woman, I mean."

"We'll figure it out, Jane. And we will do it in our own time. Whether it's after our date or a month after we get home, it doesn't matter. There's no pressure, okay?"

"Okay." Jane said.

"Come on, Henri is waiting for us to drive him to the train station." Maura said, and Jane was glad they could change the subject.

* * *

 

Jane loved watching Maura drive them to the train station. She didn't think she could ever get used to the narrow European roads, or the way the traffic flowed. She looked at the traffic signs as they went. Some of them she could understand, others were, well, completely foreign to her. Maura navigated with the same practiced ease that she did everything else in her life. Jane admired her confidence and her ability to adapt to her surroundings. Maura may have been socially inept, but she had the ability to read the people and the things around her and make herself fit in. Jane didn't think she would ever be able to do that. She was thankful to have Maura there with her, to guide her and to help her feel comfortable in situations like this.

They were quiet in the car, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Jane was sure that Henri was thinking about his daughter, eager to get there and see her. She wondered what Maura was thinking about. Maybe she was just involved in her driving, out of practice driving a stick shift or unsure of the way to the train station. That could very well be it, but Jane definitely thought Maura was deep in thought, deeper than she would normally be while driving.

When they arrived at the train station they parked in the adjacent garage and pulled Henri's luggage out of the trunk of the car for him. Henri clearly looked uncomfortable having his employer's daughter and his employer's daughter's girlfriend carry his luggage for him, but he allowed it, because he knew it made them happy to do it. They walked him to his platform and waited as the train pulled in.

"I am a little bit sad that I will not be there to see you off on Wednesday." Henri said.

"Don't be sad, Henri. We will be just fine. And one day you must come visit us in Boston." Jane said.

"I cannot do that, Jane, that would not be proper." Henri replied.

"Yes you can, and I insist that you do." Maura said. "You've always been family to me, Henri. So take a vacation and come see Boston. Jane and I would love to show you around."

Henri's eyes looked like they were ready to overflow with tears. "Thank you, Maura." He pulled her in for a hug, then he hugged Jane. "It was lovely to meet you, Jane."

"Thank you for everything, Henri." Jane said.

"Take good care of my Maura, Jane." He said sternly, but a smile played across his lips.

_"Oui, monsieur."_ Jane said, saluting.

Henri gave them both a kiss on the cheek before boarding the train. When he sat down he waved from the window, grinning from ear to ear at the luxury of his first class seat. They stayed and waited for the train to pull out, and then headed home once more.

"What were you thinking about before, when we were driving here?" Jane asked Maura as they got back into the car.

"Hmm? Oh, just about our conversation in the bedroom. I realized I may be pressuring you into moving too fast, and that you might be uncomfortable. I was rethinking this date."

"But I want to go out on a date with you, Maura."

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to have sex with me. I don't want you to think that this date is contingent upon that. Or worse, that our entire relationship is contingent upon that."

"I know that it's not, Maur. Please, don't worry about that, okay? Let's just go on the date and see what happens."

"Are you sure?" Maura asked.

"I'm very sure. I cannot wait to go on our first official date. A date we will never forget."

"I love how you keep calling it an official date." Maura said.

"Well, according to your mother, we've been dating for years. Just not officially." Jane said.

"Not just my mother. Your mother, Frost, Korsak, Frankie, Cavanaugh, I think even Susie Chang thinks we were dating."

"We really were oblivious, weren't we?" Jane asked.

"Some of us more than others." Maura said simply.

_"Touché."_ Jane said, and laughed.

* * *

 

They returned home in a companionable silence, and returned upstairs to Maura's bedroom to continue packing for their date.

"Could you give me a little clue about where we're going, just so I know what to pack?" Jane asked.

"Pack the suit, pack two outfits- shorts preferably, and pack your toiletries. Oh, and pack that sweater you got too. It could get a little chilly at night where we're going." Maura said.

"Not even one clue?" Jane said.

"Not even one." Maura replied.

Jane sighed but refrained from complaining. She promised Maura she was going to argue with her less, and she didn't want to seem ungrateful for this. She trusted Maura and knew they would not be going somewhere that Jane would not enjoy.

When they were finished packing, they returned downstairs and started dinner. With Henri gone, it would be up to them to make sure Constance was fed, though they didn't mind it. They also knew Constance was perfectly capable of cooking for herself, but both Jane and Maura secretly relished how normal this seemed. They had cooked together hundreds of times before and it was something Jane missed terribly when they were not speaking.

They put together a beautiful quiche and a salad, and brought it out to the dinner table. Constance had set the table for them, and they sat down to an easy, relaxed dinner.

Jane was secretly happy that Constance didn't lecture her, or demand to know more about her intentions regarding her daughter.

Maura was secretly happy that Constance wasn't making insinuations about Jane and Maura's sex life like she had at every meal they had shared together since Jane had apologized to Maura.

Constance was secretly happy that the girls were going away on Sunday and would spend some time alone on their own terms. She hoped that if there was anything left for them to work out, they would do so before they returned to Boston.

* * *

 

Saturday morning they all got up and once again headed to the airport. Jane wasn't sure what the pilots on the Isles' private jet normally got paid, but she hoped they were earning overtime for all this flying they were doing. They pulled up at the private hangar and Jane took Constance's suitcases out of the back of the car while Maura helped her mother out of the back seat. Now she knew where Maura got her packing skills from. Constance was going away for five days and had five suitcases with her. Some of them were so heavy, Jane was convinced that Constance had stuffed some of her sculptures into them. She took her time unloading them and walking them over to the attendant that would load them onto the plane. She sensed that Maura and Constance needed a minute to talk without her there to overhear anything, and the multitude of luggage allowed her to give them that opportunity.

"Maura?" Constance asked.

"Yes Mother?" Maura replied.

"I'm so proud of you, darling."

"I haven't done anything to be proud of, Mother."

"Yes, you have. You went after what you wanted. And you're finally listening to your heart." Constance said.

Maura smiled at her mother. "Thank you for letting me run away to you. Thank you for not letting me forget who I am and what my hopes and dreams are. And thank you for believing in me and encouraging me."

"It's been wonderful having you at home. You should come visit us more often."

"Father said the same thing." Maura said.

"Well it's true. And next time don't come without Jane."

"I won't. We're not going anywhere without each other anymore." Maura said.

"Good." Constance stopped and looked at Maura. "Maura, don't forget to tell Jane you love her. She needs to hear that from you. She's intimidated by you sometimes, I think. Don't let her forget that you love her."

"I won't, Mother, but I don't know why she would be intimidated by me. She is the bravest person I know."

"You forget sometimes that the two of you come from two very different worlds. Don't let Jane feel overwhelmed. She does get overwhelmed sometimes and that can make her feel intimidated. That's all I'm trying to say."

"Thanks Mother." Maura said, pondering her mother's words as Jane walked back over to them.

"Everything is all loaded up onto the plane, Constance." Jane said as she approached the two women.

"Thank you, Jane."

"Thank you, Constance. I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for me. Thank you for letting me have a second chance with Maura."

"Jane, you would have found your second chance regardless of whether I had given it my blessing. You're just that tenacious."

"That's why you didn't put me on the list at the gallery, right?" Jane said, smiling.

"Some things have to be earned, dear." Constance said with a laugh.

"Maura said exactly the same thing!" Jane replied, also laughing.

"Have a safe trip, Constance. I'm sorry we'll already be on our way home when you come back."

"You have a safe trip too. Please give my regards to your mother. Tell her we'll have to go get burgers and milkshakes the next time I am in Boston."

"I will. And please come visit soon. Maura misses you." Jane said.

They exchanged their goodbyes and Jane and Maura sat in the car as they watched the plane taxi out to the main runway. They waited until the plane was airborne and out of sight before driving back to the house once more.

* * *

 

Once they returned to Maura's parents' house, they made themselves a late lunch. They made sandwiches and settled in front of the television set with them. Maura flipped through the few channels available to look for something they could watch that Jane could understand.

"I'm sorry, there are a lot fewer channels here than there are at home." Maura said as she flipped through a second time.

"I'm actually just surprised that your parents have a television set." Jane said.

"They like to keep up with the news and they occasionally watch documentaries together." Maura said.

"We could watch that soccer game, if you wanted. I don't need to understand French to know what's going on."

"Sure." Maura said.

"Do you want to watch the game?" Jane asked, certain that Maura had no interest in the sport at all.

"I will if it means spending time with you." Maura said, flashing Jane a sweet smile.

"You're too good for me. You know, we don't have to watch television at all. We can do anything you want."

"No, I just want to sit here and snuggle with you. I don't care what's on the television."

"I love you so much, Maura." Jane said, overwhelmed by the feelings Maura caused to erupt within Jane.

"I love you too."

They spent the next several hours snuggled together on the couch, Jane laughing bemusedly at the funny French commercials and Maura watching Jane. When Maura dozed off against Jane's chest a little while later, Jane figured it was time for bed. She had no idea where they were heading tomorrow, but she didn't care. As long as Maura was with her, anywhere would feel like home. She just wanted to be well rested for the trip.

She scooped Maura up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom. At the top of the stairs, Maura woke up. She smiled up at Jane.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Putting you to bed. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Jane walked Maura over the threshold of the bedroom and placed her gently on the bed. Maura blushed.

"You're blushing. Why are you blushing?" Jane asked, cupping one of Maura's cheeks as she leaned over her.

"Will you do that on our wedding night?" Maura asked, her voice sweeter than Jane had ever heard it.

"Only if you marry me." Jane said.

"I will. Someday. If you ask." Maura said.

"You can count on that, beautiful." Jane said, and kissed her tenderly.


	22. Chapter 22

The following morning dawned dark and stormy. Maura looked worried as they gathered their bags and brought them down to the front door to wait for the taxi to the airport to arrive. The late summer thunderstorms were going to be a problem for the small jet they were taking.

"What's wrong, Maur?" Jane asked after watching Maura bite her lip for the thirtieth time in as many minutes.

"I'm concerned about the weather. We might be delayed."

"That's okay. I mean, is anything time sensitive?"

"No, we can get to-" Maura stopped. "You almost made me give it away." She grinned at Jane. "But no, we can get there whenever we want, but the longer it takes us to get there, the less date time we will have."

"Which would be unfortunate."Jane said. "But we do have the whole rest of our lives together."

"That's true." Maura said with a smile. "But I don't want you to miss a minute of where we're going. I hope it will be one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit."

"Anywhere I go with you is the most beautiful place I could ever visit." Jane said.

Maura kissed her. "I had no idea you could be so romantic, Detective."

Jane blushed. "I'm deceptively complex. A gorgeous doctor told me that once."

Before Maura could reply, the taxi pulled up outside. They grabbed their bags and Maura locked up the house.

"Oh, do you have your passport?" Maura asked.

"I need my passport for where we're going?" Jane asked.

Maura sighed and went back to unlock the front door.

"I'm just asking! I have it right here!" Jane said, waving it at Maura. "So are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"No. You'll find out when we get on the plane." Maura said. "Now let's get in the car, my hair is starting to frizz in this humidity."

"You should wear your hair up. I love the way you look when you pull your hair back. Especially when you're doing an autopsy and you're going all Scientific Inquiry on me." Jane said.

"You look particularly badass when you put your hair up before a bust." Maura said.

"Only then? I thought I looked badass all the time." Jane said with mock seriousness.

Maura just pushed her toward the taxi and laughed.

* * *

They boarded the airplane and were once again greeted by the same friendly pilot and copilot that had taken Jane to Spain earlier in the week.

"Welcome back, Detective, Doctor." The pilot said.

"Hello again." Maura said.

"Busy week for you guys this week, huh?" Jane said.

"It's all part of the job, Detective." The copilot said.

"Dr. Isles, at the moment we have a ground stop for all small craft due to the weather. The tower says we likely will not be cleared to take off for about an hour. I've been looking at the weather on the way to our destination, and we may be in for a bumpy ride." The pilot said to Maura.

"Would it be better to cancel our plans?" Maura asked.

"No, I think we should wait out the ground stop and reassess the weather. By then the storms should have moved far enough to the north and the west that we can go around them. We're fully fueled and even if we should need to take a slight detour, we should not have to divert to another airport due to the weather."

"How far away are we going, and how far can this plane fly?" Jane asked.

"I'm surprising Jane with our destination." Maura cut in.

"Well this is a Bombardier Challenger 605. It's capable of flying just under 4000 nautical miles, or about 7000 kilometers. Our destination is about 2000 miles away." The pilot said.

"Two thousand miles, Maura, where on earth are you taking me?" Jane exclaimed.

"Somewhere worth the trip." Maura said coyly before addressing the pilot again. "Let's wait out the ground stop and see what the weather looks like along our route. We can always change our plans in an hour."

"As you wish, Dr. Isles. Please make yourselves at home. We'll let you know once the ground stop is lifted."

Maura walked to the back of the plane and opened one of the cabinets. The champagne was sitting on ice, like she had requested. She expertly popped the cork and poured two flutes before rejoining Jane in the passenger cabin. They were seated next to each other, with a fold out table open in front of them. Jane ran her fingers over the mahogany while Maura took out a coaster for each of their drinks.

"Here's to us." Maura said, raising her glass to Jane.

"Here's to us." Jane said in return, and raised her glass, but also gave Maura a kiss on her cheek.

"We're going 2000 miles away. I need my passport. So we're not staying in France. That still leaves a lot of options open. You said you wanted to enjoy this weather and you said where we're going is beautiful. So my guesses are Portugal, Spain, Italy or Greece."

"You know I don't like guessing, Jane." Maura said as she took a sip of her champagne. "Drink your champagne. It's the same kind we had at the Fairfield house that you loved so much."

"Oh, this is good." Jane said after sipping some. "So you didn't say no, that we're not going to one of those places, which means that I think I'm getting close."

"Jane, would it really be so bad for you to wait another hour to find out where we're going?"

"Well... yes. I mean no. I mean- Oh c'mon Maura! I just wanna know where we're going!"

Maura laughed. "And you'll find out in about an hour, provided we can take off."

They passed the time chatting, with Jane trying to pull a clue or two out of Maura about their destination and Maura steadfastly refusing to tell her anything. Maura was enjoying watching Jane squirm, and Jane knew Maura was doing this in good fun.

About forty minutes later the captain announced over the PA system that the ground stop had been lifted for smaller aircraft and he asked Maura to pick up the phone that connected to the cockpit.

Jane listened to Maura's side of the call.

"Well do you think we can divert around it safely?" Maura asked.

"How far out of our way will that take us?"

"How uncomfortable of a ride are you anticipating?"

"How much time will that add on to the flight time? Do we have enough fuel to do that?"

Maura seemed satisfied with each of the responses she received and hung up the phone. "We're going to take off, so please buckle up. The first hour or so may be a little bumpy. We're going to be following the line of storms as we travel. When it's appropriate, the pilots are going to divert around the storm a bit to make the flight a little less uncomfortable."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jane asked, wary of being on a turbulent flight.

"The pilots assured me that it is safe, and that we will have more than enough fuel if we have to divert."

"Okay." Jane said, and Maura noticed the uncertainty in Jane's voice.

"Do you want to do this, Jane?" She asked.

"Yes. I want to go on our mystery date. You told me it's safe, and I trust you." Jane said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. She did trust Maura. She just didn't like bumpy plane rides. As a matter of fact, rough air travel was one of the few things Jane wasn't usually afraid to admit to being afraid of. Jane could tackle a suspect, drive like pro, and wield a gun like it was nobody's business and she rarely showed any fear while doing it. But take away her control of the situation, such as sitting on an airplane flying through a storm, and Jane had a harder time keeping fear at bay. She was looking forward to this trip, but she didn't want to show Maura just what a bumpy plane ride could do to her.

"All right then, buckle up. As soon as we're airborne I'll tell you where we're going." Maura said.

"Well, we're not in a hand basket, so I'm thinking we're not going to Hell, even if it sounds like the ride might feel like that."

Maura looked at Jane. "I don't get half the colloquialisms that come out of your mouth sometimes."

"Never mind. Just hold my hand." Jane said, and the plane started taxiing to the runway. Jane used her free hand to down the rest of her champagne. There was no point in letting the turbulence spill it, she figured. When Maura made no move to finish her own, Jane downed that too.

* * *

Take off went fairly smoothly, but the ride was definitely bumpy. Jane had to struggle to hear Maura over the whine of the plane's engines and the rattle of just about everything on board as it bounced around in the turbulence. Jane hadn't let go of Maura's hand since takeoff, and every time they hit a particularly large pocket of air, Jane had to stop herself from crawling into Maura's lap and holding on for dear life.

Maura, not surprisingly, was her usual calm self. She was completely unperturbed by the turbulence, and tried to keep Jane's attention as she told her about their destination and their upcoming date. She could tell that Jane was nervous about this flight and was slightly amused by it. She didn't want to tell her that this flight was nothing like some of the worst she had taken. Somehow she didn't think that would comfort Jane. Instead, she focused on telling her about their trip.

"We're going to the Greek island of Samos. I've rented a yacht that we're going to sail out of the village of Kokkari. We're going to spend two nights at sea, where the chef on board the yacht is going to make us dinner both nights. The yacht is beautiful and has all of the comforts of home. I can't wait for you to see it. We have it all to ourselves. Well, there is a crew, but it's a small crew and they are very discreet."

"You've met them before?" Jane asked, suddenly wondering if Maura took all of her dates on yachts in the Greek islands.

"Yes, they've been sailing my family around the world since I was a child. They are quite skilled and very professional."

"I can't believe you have your own private jet, a pilot and a copilot, and now you have your own personal yacht crew?" Jane asked.

"Jets. We have a couple of them. One in North America, one in Europe, and one in Africa. Each has its own crew."

Jane shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if one day you're going to wake up and realize how little I have to offer you, Maura."

"How could you say that, Jane? Don't you understand that I would give up all of this just to be with you? I don't need these things. All I need is you. All I want is you."

Jane squeezed Maura's hand and kissed her. "I love you so much."

"You're not going to lose me to some rich guy, Jane. Even without my parents' fortune, the two of us make enough to live comfortably. I'm happy with you. I love you. I will be happy with you and love you even if we end up penniless."

Jane was quiet for a minute and the plane suddenly felt like it dropped several hundred feet. Jane gasped in fear, then blushed at her reaction. Maura hadn't reacted at all. The pilot came on the public address system and reminded them to stay buckled up, and told them they were going to begin diverting around the storm. Hopefully, the pilot added, the ride would be smoother in the next hour or so.

"How long of a plane ride is this?" Jane asked, wishing they could just land on safe, solid ground again right away.

"Usually it's about three and a half hours. Because we're diverting around the storm, it is going to be closer to four hours." Maura replied.

"Jeez, I hope it's not this bad the whole way there."

"It shouldn't be. But you've no reason to be afraid, Jane. The turbulence is just like rough seas on the bottom of a speed boat. The waves come up and hit the bottom of the boat as it glides over. The same thing happens with the plane. It's really just rough air, Jane. Basic physics."

"Basic or not, it's scary as Hell." Jane said. "Tell me more about where we're going. Distract me a little. What can we do while we're there?"

Maura lifted the arm rest separating the two of them and pulled Jane as close to her as the seat belt would allow. She wrapped an arm around Jane and Jane leaned into her. Just having Maura's arm around her was calming.

"During the day we can explore Kokkari or we can stay on board the yacht. It's completely up to you."

"Up to us, you mean." Jane said.

"Well, I'm taking you out, so you should pick and choose what we do."

"No, this is our date. Not my date. So we'll both decide."

"Okay." Maura said.

"Oh crud, Maura, I don't have a bathing suit!" Jane lamented.

"Well, I was kind of hoping we wouldn't need one." Maura said.

Jane giggled. "You have a surprisingly one-track mind sometimes, Maur."

"Well, we can always pick up bathing suits in town if we need them. The village itself is very touristic, but we're going to mainly see the views and spend some time alone together."

"That sounds wonderful." Jane said. "You really do know how to plan a date."

"I've never done anything this extravagant before, Jane. I know you might not believe that. But I've never planned anything this special for anybody else."

"This is definitely going to be a first official date to remember." Jane said.

"I hope so." Maura replied.

"Thank you, for doing this for me. For us. Especially after everything I put you through. Thank you."

"Just enjoy yourself, Jane. We're going to have a wonderful time."

They sat in silence for a little while, both of them staring out the window at the dark clouds the jet was trying to make its way though. In the distance bright flashes of lightning were visible. Maura explained the late summer humidity and how it made for more turbulent air travel. Jane soaked up the factoids, having missed them while she wasn't speaking to Maura. Just listening to Maura was calming for Jane, which was good, because she wasn't really enjoying this flight, despite the opulence around her. She would take travel in a large, cramped commercial jet any day if it meant not being tossed around like this.

About two hours into their trip, the clouds started to lighten. They went from dark grey to white, and then they began to thin out. By the third hour of the trip the clouds and the turbulence had disappeared altogether.

Maura got up once the flight had smoothed out a bit and walked to the lavatory. She used the facilities and freshened up. When she came back out, Jane had refilled their champagne glasses.

"I hope you don't mind." Jane said. "It just seemed such a waste to not finish it."

"I don't mind at all." Maura said, and they raised their glasses to each other once more.

"To a safe arrival." Jane said.

"To a safe arrival." Maura repeated, amused at Jane's anxiety over the flight.

Not long thereafter, the pilots announced that they were about thirty-five minutes from their destination. Maura could feel Jane's sigh of relief. Jane made no move to separate herself from Maura though, and kept her arms wrapped tightly around Maura's torso as they made their approach. Maura didn't mind it one bit.


	23. Chapter 23

They walked off the plane at the airport in Samos and stepped into yet another Mercedes limousine. As the driver closed the door behind them, Jane let out a little laugh.

"What?" Maura asked.

"Oh it's just _another_ Mercedes limousine." Jane said.

"What's wrong with the limousine?" Maura asked, looking around. "It's practically brand new."

Jane laughed again.

"What?" Maura said, starting to get seriously concerned, looking around again.

"Maura!" Jane said, barely able to contain her laughter. "Maura there is nothing wrong with this limousine. This limousine is perfect."

"Then why are you laughing?" Maura asked.

"Because over the course of the last week I've been in both a limousine and a private jet more times than I have ever been in my entire life. I'm just not used to this. So I used sarcasm, Maura. 'Yet another limousine'".

"Oh." Maura said, grinning. "Oh!" And then she laughed.

"I also stayed in a penthouse and had a sweet butler take care of me."

"Housekeeper. There's a difference."

"Oh, there's a difference!" Jane said, making sure that even Maura could feel the sarcasm dripping from her statement.

Maura shook her head, amused at Jane's attempt to cover up her discomfort. Because that's really what this was. Constance's words to Maura hung in the air around them. They really did come from two different worlds, and Maura wondered if she really had gone overboard with this date.

"Hey," Jane said, touching her arm. "Where did you go?"

Maura realized they had both stopped laughing.

"What's wrong, Maura?"

"Is, is this too much?" Maura asked.

"Is what too much?" Jane asked.

"This. What we're doing. Is it too much?"

Jane looked at Maura, trying to understand what exactly she was asking. "Are you having second thoughts? About me? About us?"

"What?! No! No, Jane. No."

"Then I don't understand." Jane said.

"My mother said something to me before she left. She told me that we come from two very different worlds. And just now I realized that she might be right."

"So what are you saying, Maura? Are you sure you want to do this?" Jane asked. It had been too easy. Having her family and friends get her to Paris, Maura's family getting her to Madrid, Maura's ready acceptance of her apology. It had been too easy.

"Jane, we do come from two different worlds." Maura said.

"So you are having second thoughts about us. About being with me." Jane said.

"No! Oh my god, Jane, no."

"Then what is it? I don't understand and you're scaring me, Maura."

Maura's eyes shot to Jane's. "Is this overwhelming to you?" Maura asked.

"This conversation is, yes. How did we go from laughing to you breaking up with me before we've even gone on our first official date?"

"Breaking up with you? No, I was asking if you were overwhelmed by all of the... the... well, the wealth." Maura said.

"What? Is that what this is about? You think that I'm intimidated by how wealthy you are? How wealthy your family is?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"Well, yes, but that's not going to keep me from loving you. Should it?"

"No, but I'm afraid I made you uncomfortable."

"You did! I thought you were breaking up with me!" Jane exclaimed.

"So you're okay with this?"

"I am okay with the wealth. I am okay with the date. I am more than okay with you. Please, stop scaring me like that!"

"Okay." Maura said.

"Okay." Jane said, and turned her attention out the window, watching the beautiful island pass by. She wanted to, but she couldn't relax. There was just something about what Maura said about her mother's words that ate away at Jane.

* * *

 

They arrived at the seaport and the driver drove them over to the dock where their yacht waited. Maura heard Jane exhale.

"It's, it's..." Jane stopped. She looked at Maura, saw the anxiety on her face. "Massive" had been Jane's word of choice but she stopped herself. "It's amazing, Maura, thank you."

It was amazing. Jane honestly thought only cruise ships were this big. She looked at the massive craft in awe. Maura had rented that for just the two of them. At least four decks tall with a large pool at the back end, the ship was positively gigantic. "The Beta Nero" was the name of the ship, the letters emblazoned along the side.

Maura watched Jane as she took in the boat. "This is the sister craft to the Alfa Nero, owned by a famous Greek shipping magnate. I think you'll find the accommodations more than adequate."

They stepped out of the limousine and the driver began to take their bags out of the trunk. Maura walked toward the gangplank and Jane followed behind her. The ship's crew stood waiting for them at the top of the gangplank and greeted Maura with hugs and kisses. Jane felt a bit awkward, but she also enjoyed seeing the warm reception Maura received. After a moment the person that Jane assumed was the captain walked over and gave Jane a bone crushing hug.

"Welcome! I am Captain Eduardo and this is the rest of the crew. We are so happy you are here with Dr. Maura!"

"Hi." Jane squeaked out, hoping the gregarious captain would release her from his grip. He seemed to take the hint and released Jane. Jane sucked in a breath before adding "Nice to meet you."

The steward took them through the entrance into the television room, past the dining room and up the spiral staircase to the fourth deck, where the master stateroom was located. The suite was bigger than Jane's entire apartment.

The steward left the suitcases and told Maura that dinner would be served in two hours on the outdoor deck.

Jane looked around, in awe of what she was seeing. The bed was gigantic. It was bigger than a California King. Jane was tempted to run up and jump on it, just because of how huge it was.

"Jane?" Maura said, following Jane's gaze.

"It's so big, Maura."

"I knew it. This is too much."

"No, it's not too much. It's just a lot. I mean, it's huge. The whole boat is huge. But it's wonderful and I can't believe we have it all to ourselves."

"Well, there is a crew of fifteen on board with us."

"Okay, us and fifteen other people. Do we seriously need fifteen people to take care of us on this trip?" Jane asked.

"A boat of this size requires a round-the-clock crew, so they will work in shifts. We won't see much of them though. I assure you that we will have the utmost in privacy."

"So what do we do while we wait for dinner?"

"How about we explore the boat? And if there's time before dinner we can catch some rays out by the pool."

"There's a pool on this boat?"

"Yes, and it converts into a helipad."

"Holy crap."

"Language, Jane."

"Maur?" Jane asked.

"What's the matter, Jane?" Maura asked.

"I'm starting to feel overwhelmed. I'm sorry."

Maura walked up to where Jane was standing and wrapped her arms around her. "Do you want to go home? We don't have to do this."

Jane held Maura to her closely. "No, I just, this is all so fancy. I'm afraid to touch anything. What if I break something? Or spill food somewhere? I don't-" Jane stopped and thought about her words. "I'm sorry Maura but I just feel like I don't fit in here."

"It's just you and me on this trip Jane. There's nowhere to fit in. You and I have always been perfect for each other. With each other. We don't have to stay on this boat or in Greece or in France. I just want to spend time with you. If you're uncomfortable, we'll leave. But if you give this a chance, I promise you that we'll have a great two days."

"Okay." Jane said, the uncertainty still in her voice.

"Jane, does this have to do with what I said before? About us coming from two different worlds?"

"Yes." Jane said. "It's one thing when we're in Boston and I go to something fancy with you and I embarrass you and you can pass it off as your bumbling blue-collar detective friend who doesn't know any better. It's another thing to be your girlfriend and be expected to know what's going on, how to handle myself, and which fork to use with my salad at all times."

"There will never come a time that I expect you to be anyone other than yourself. I love you for who you are, and don't want you to change. When we're back in Boston, I think you'll feel a lot less out of your element. I'm sorry for overwhelming you though. My only intention was to show you a good time, and that's what I still plan to do if you let me."

Jane nodded. "All right. I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from. I think I'm still afraid that this is all a dream, and that I'm going to wake up in Boston and you're still going to be gone, except you're going to be gone forever. Or I'm afraid you're going to wake up one morning and realize all the reasons you have to be mad at me, and realize that I'm not worth all of this extravagance."

Maura leaned up and kissed Jane tenderly. "I assure you that his is not a dream, though I would like to think of this as a dream come true, for me at least. Do you know how long I waited to be able to hold you like this? To kiss you like this? To tell you I love you?" Maura kissed Jane again. "I love you, Jane Rizzoli, and I want to give you the world. Please try to relax. Please."

"Okay." Jane said, exhaling a shaky breath. "I'm going to go freshen up, all right?"

"Sure, I'll be here waiting." Maura said. When Jane entered the master bathroom, Maura picked up the bedside phone and spoke to the room steward, who put her through to the chef.

"Maurice, how far have you gotten into tonight's dinner?" Maura asked.

"Just the prep, Dr. Maura. Are you looking to adjust the menu?"

"I need to do more than that. I need to push off tonight's dinner to tomorrow. Could you arrange to make a much simpler menu for this evening?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"A burger each for Jane and I, along with fries. Extra pickles on Jane's burger. Beer and milkshakes as well."

"Let me check, can you hold please?"

"Sure." Maura said, keeping her eye on the bathroom.

Maurice came back on the line after a moment. "I have everything except chopped meat. If we delay our departure by about thirty minutes, and push back dinner by another half hour, I can make you the best burgers you will ever eat on the Aegean Sea."

"That sounds wonderful. Please do not rush though. I will inform the captain that you'll be sending someone out for the beef, and Jane and I will keep ourselves entertained until dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Dr. Maura."

"Thank you, Maurice. I appreciate you being so accommodating."

"Anything for you, Dr. Maura." Maurice said as he hung up.

Maura placed a quick call to the captain and explained that they would be delaying their departure until the chef's helper had picked up the necessary items and returned to the ship.

"Aye aye, Dr. Maura." Eduardo said. "Let me know when we're ready to depart and I will make the proper arrangements with the harbormaster."

"Thank you, Eduardo."

Maura hung up and walked over to her suitcase to pick out an outfit for the night. The suit and the dress that she had picked out for Jane and herself could wait until tomorrow night. It was too fancy for Maura's sudden change in plans. Instead she picked out a simple pair of red shorts and a white tank top along with a simple pair of sandals. She pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail and took out her sunglasses.

In the bathroom, Jane was silently giving herself a pep talk. Maura was right. There was nothing here for her to be intimidated of. They were here to have a good time, and she wasn't going to ruin it for Maura. The more she thought of it, the more she realized that two nights on the open sea alone with Maura was a wonderful idea. Maura had done all of this for her, and she wasn't going to be anything but thankful. She freshened up and hurried back out to Maura. She didn't want to waste another minute.

Maura had just stepped out of her slacks and taken her shirt off to change into the clothes she had picked out. She was reaching behind herself to unclasp her bra when Jane re-entered the room from the bathroom. Jane didn't hesitate to stride across the room and undo the clasp for Maura. She slid Maura's bra straps down her arms, and Maura removed the bra the rest of the way herself. She stood with her back to Jane, and Jane let her arms drop when Maura had taken the bra off the rest of the way.

Maura turned toward Jane slowly, and Jane couldn't help but stare.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" Jane whispered. She wanted more than anything to reach out and touch Maura, but she stopped, unsure of herself.

Maura watched Jane as she hesitated. She could read the brunette like a book, and she could see the longing in Jane's eyes. She reached out and took Jane's hand in her own, then placed it over her own breast. "It's okay to touch me, Jane."

Jane smiled. "It's a lot better than just okay, Maura." She let her hands wander over Maura's bare breasts, up to her shoulders, before she wrapped her arms around Maura's neck and pulled her in to kiss her. Maura moaned into Jane's mouth and threaded her hands though Jane's hair, delighted that Jane had abandoned her initial hesitation.

When Maura wrapped a leg around Jane, Jane used Maura's bent knee to reach down and pick her up, carrying her over to the bed. She climbed onto the bed with Maura still in her arms, never breaking the kiss. She leaned down, depositing Maura gently on the bed. Maura reached down and pulled Jane's shirt up, and Jane broke the kiss just long enough to rid herself of the garment.

Maura stared up at Jane's breasts, encased in the silk bra the stylist has picked out for her. She reached out and slowly ran the back of her fingers over Jane's nipple, delighting in watching it poke out from behind the fabric. She leaned up and kissed Jane again. Jane reached behind herself and unfastened the bra, and Maura pulled it down her arms and off of her. She then reached up and wrapped her arms back around Jane's neck, and pulled Jane down so that she was resting on top of her.

Jane hissed at the sudden contact. Maura's skin was so warm and so soft. Jane cupped Maura's cheeks and kissed her again, opening her mouth to allow Maura's tongue access. She couldn't believe how right this felt. She couldn't understand why she had avoided this, feared this with Maura for so long. It suddenly felt like she had waited her entire life for this moment.

Maura snaked a hand between the two of them, opening the button on Jane's jeans. Jane took the hint and pushed her jeans down and off, and then did the same with her underwear. She then reached down and hooked both of her thumbs in the waistband of Maura's underwear, and tugged lightly at them. Maura lifted her hips and Jane eased the panties down, over Maura's toned thighs and past her calves, before dropping them unceremoniously off the side of the bed.

Jane lowered herself once more, relishing in the contact between their bodies. She lost herself in the feel of Maura, the unique mix of softness and firmness. She drowned in Maura's scent, a mix of her body wash and her arousal. She kissed Maura with abandon, feasting on her taste.

Maura moaned when Jane's hand found her sex and cupped it. Jane marveled at the wetness there, and felt better that it seemed to match her own. Jane broke the kiss just long enough to lean up on one arm and position herself so that she could use her fingers to enter Maura. She looked down between them and Maura followed her gaze.

"It's all right, Jane." Maura whispered, so quiet that Jane barely heard her. Jane registered Maura's words and looked up at her. "Touch me." Maura said, a little louder.

Jane ran her hand over Maura, her fingers dragging some of Maura's wetness up and over her clit, which Jane rubbed gently with her thumb. Maura arched up into her touch, and Jane groaned at the sensation that just watching Maura was creating in her. She slid two fingers inside of Maura and watched Maura's eyes flutter shut. She slid her fingers back out almost all the way, and slid them back in. She felt Maura tighten around her fingers, and couldn't believe the effect she was having on her. She dropped her mouth back over Maura's and kissed her, while finding a rhythm with her fingers. Soon Maura's hips were coming up to meet Jane's hand, and Maura had stopped kissing Jane so she could moan unimpeded.

"Jane," Maura gasped, her forehead against Jane's, her mouth close enough to Jane's that Jane could feel Maura's breath on her lips. "Oh Jane," she breathed. Jane could feel an increase in the wetness around her fingers, and within seconds the walls around her fingers began to flutter, then rhythmically constrict around her. "Jane!" Maura hadn't really raised her voice all that much from the gasp earlier, but Jane could feel and hear Maura's orgasm as it washed over her. "Jaaaane," Maura dragged out, her body tensing and then shuddering as Maura hugged Jane to her, keeping her as close as she possibly could.

Jane marveled at how gorgeous Maura was, with her hair splayed out around her and her face and neck flushed. Jane stilled her fingers but did not remove them. Instead she leaned in and kissed Maura, lying down against her and feeling the rapid beating of Maura's pulse.

"You are so beautiful," Jane said after she kissed her.

Maura opened her eyes and looked at Jane staring down at her. She had never seen Jane's eyes so dark, so full of love. Maura cried out as Jane slowly removed her fingers, and pulled Jane tightly against her.

"I love you." Maura whispered.

"I love you too. So much." Jane whispered back.

They stayed that way for a few minutes, Maura waiting for her limbs to regain their functionality before rolling them over so that she was now on top of Jane. She kissed Jane and smiled down at her.

She started kissing Jane with wet, open mouthed kisses that caused Jane to shiver with delight. She worked her way down Jane's body, warring with her self to slow down, to make this last, but driven by an urgent need to please Jane. A need to show her how much she loved her instead of just telling her.

She caressed Jane's body with her mouth as Jane moaned in anticipation beneath her. Maura's lips curled around one of Jane's nipples and Maura made a mental note about the reaction she received. Already she had discovered that Jane was defenseless against kisses against the back of her neck and on her unusually sensitive nipples. She didn't dwell on the ideas she was forming, instead she continued working her way down Jane's body, deciding to use those places to her advantage later.

Jane practically jumped up, off the bed, when Maura's tongue found her clitoris. Maura had to stop for a second just to enjoy the reaction, but she didn't make Jane wait any longer than that. Instead she began a slow, lazy rhythm with her tongue. She smiled as Jane's hand wound up in her hair, pushing her forward, urging her to use more pressure. Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's thighs and was happy to comply. Jane began writhing underneath her, moaning Maura's name.

"Mmmaurrra," Jane practically purred, her voice so low and raspy that Maura felt it reverberate through her, fanning the embers of her already renewing desire.

Maura slid two fingers inside of Jane and began to pump in and out, her fingers matching the pace of her tongue. When she felt Jane start to constrict around her fingers, she removed her mouth and replaced her tongue with her thumb. She continued pumping her fingers into Jane, but moved back up on top of her to kiss her.

Jane initially gasped at the loss of contact from Maura's mouth, but quickly began to lose control once Maura replaced her tongue with her thumb. When Maura came back up to kiss her, she tasted herself on Maura's lips. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

Maura could feel how close Jane was, and curled her fingers up inside of her. "I've got you, Jane." Maura whispered to her between kisses. "I've got you."

Maura continued her ministrations, but she could feel Jane holding back. "Jane," Maura whispered, "I've got you. I love you." She kissed her again, and finally Jane let herself lose control.

Maura kissed her down from her orgasm, waited for the spasming to subside before she slipped her fingers from inside of Jane. She held Jane to her tightly and whispered to her. "You are so beautiful, so wonderful. I love you Jane. I love you."

It took a few minutes, but Jane finally came down from her high and wrapped her arms around Maura. "I love you too, Maur."

They stayed that way for a little while, Maura listening to Jane's heart strumming against her chest walls. Jane rubbed her fingers on Maura's shoulder in small circles, listening to Maura breathe.

"I can't believe we haven't even had our date yet and we had sex already." Jane said suddenly.

"Are you having regrets, Jane?" Maura asked, fearing this had been too much, too soon for Jane.

"No, not at all. It was wonderful! It felt like I had been waiting my whole life for that moment. I don't regret it at all. I just can't believe I didn't have the ability to wait until we actually had our first date."

"Does it cheapen it?" Maura asked.

"No, not at all." Jane replied.

"Good, because I think that it was the perfect moment. We did it on our own time, when it felt right to us. Besides, we've been dating for years, remember?"

"That's right." Jane said. She kissed Maura sweetly and wrapped her arms back around her.

The two of them were dozing quietly when the telephone on the nightstand rang, causing Jane to jump and Maura to giggle.

"Yes?" Maura said into the phone's receiver, holding back her laughter. "Okay, thank you. I'll notify the captain and we'll get underway then."

Maura hung up with whomever had called and dialed another number. "Eduardo? The steward is back, and we can depart whenever you're ready. Thank you, Captain."

Maura turned back to Jane. "Not to rush you out of bed or anything, but let's get cleaned up and dressed for dinner. We'll be underway soon, and I don't want you to miss the views as we head out to sea.

"Okay," Jane said with a smile. "I should probably shower before I put on my suit."

"There's been a very slight change in plans. Save the suit for tomorrow. Instead put on a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt. And some sandals. It's going to be a casual night." Maura said.

Jane looked at her. "What happened? Why did our plans change?"

"I decided that overwhelmed wasn't a good feeling for you. Tomorrow we'll do what I had planned. Tonight is just for you and me, a casual, relaxing, fun evening. "

"Maur, now I feel guilty."

Maura held a hand up. "Don't. I went a bit overboard, and this gives us a chance to ease into our time here on the boat. I think you're really going to enjoy tonight."

"I already have." Jane said with a sly smile.

"Well, the night has only just begun, Jane." Maura said. "Come on, let's get washed up, throw your hair ponytail, and head out on deck. I can hear them starting the engines.."

They cleaned up and dressed quickly, then headed outside to the third level deck, just in time to watch the boat pull away from the dock. They caught a spectacular view of the village as the sun was setting and they sailed out to sea.


	24. Chapter 24

They watched the village disappear in the distance as they sailed out onto the open waters of the Aegean Sea. Maura stood at the deck rail and Jane stood behind her, holding her. They didn't talk much at first, they just stood there and enjoyed each other's company. After a little while, Jane broke the silence.

"This is such a fantastic boat, Maura. How on earth did you rent this? Did you call 1-800-rent-a-boat?"

Maura laughed. "No, I happen to be acquainted with the boat's owner. He's in China at the moment and the boat was free, so he rented it to me for a few days."

"Thank you for this. You really, I can't even." Jane had to stop. "You really went above and beyond. I've never been on a date like this before."

"Me either. Honestly."

"Not even with Garrett Fairfield?" Jane asked.

"Not even with him. I just wanted to do something special with you. Something neither of us would ever forget."

"Maura, we could have gone to dinner at the Robber and watched a movie on your couch and I would never forget it. I know I was a complete ass to you, but please don't think that I take the time I spend with you for granted. Every minute with you is special."

"That's so sweet, Jane."

"It's the truth, Maura. When I was looking through that photo album that my mother stole from your bedroom, I could remember exactly where each photo was taken, and I could remember exactly how happy I was at that moment. Even when I was burying my feelings for you, I still knew that I loved you."

"I really wish that we could have told each other. I feel like we wasted so much time." Maura said.

"I don't. I mean, please don't get me wrong. The last couple of weeks especially were pretty bad, but I don't feel like any of the time I spent with you was wasted. We had other ways of showing each other how much we loved each other. Now we just have the freedom to say it out loud. And I can do this whenever I want to now." Jane leaned in and kissed Maura, and Maura kissed her right back.

Their kiss was interrupted by the arrival of their dinner. They heard the rolling cart the server was using before they saw it. Within a minute he had exited out onto the deck and had begun to set up the table. He placed plates and cloth napkins, forks, knives and spoons. Then he put out two glass enclosed candle holders and lit the candles in them. Lastly he put out their dinner, served in covered dishes. He placed a bucket of ice on the table and inside were several different types of beer. Jane couldn't tell what was in the large metal canisters he put out as well. The server then turned and smiled at Maura.

"Dinner is served, Doctor Maura."

"Thank you. Come on Jane, you're going to love this." Maura said.

They sat down at the table and Maura lifted the covers off of the dishes. "Et voila!"

Maura waited for Jane to take in her supper, and beamed over at her.

"Burgers, fries, beer and... are these milkshakes?" Jane asked.

"Yes, I thought we'd go casual tonight. I even asked for extra pickles on your burger."

"Maura, that's so sweet!" Jane said and pecked Maura on the cheek. "This looks delicious."

"Maurice said it was going to be the best burger you've ever tasted, and I don't doubt it. He's a five star chef."

"You had a five star chef make us burgers?" Jane asked, incredulous.

"Yes. Tomorrow's dinner will be much fancier but I think you will also enjoy it. Tonight is about us, being ourselves, and enjoying our dinner."

"Maura, you didn't have to change what you had planned. But thank you. This looks delicious."

"Well dig in and try it." Maura pointed to Jane's burger before grabbing her own and taking a big bite.

Jane grabbed her burger too, and actually moaned out loud at the sheer goodness of it. "This is good, Maur." Jane said with her mouth full.

"See? I told you that you would love it."

"This is a magical burger. Like the magical bacon in London. Oh my god, if we combined the burger with the bacon I bet this would be orgasmic."

"You mean it's not as it is?" Maura asked with mock disappointment.

"No, it needs the magic bacon for that level of amazingness. But this is really, really, really good."

Maura laughed and took another bite of her burger.

"I have a question." Jane asked, sobering suddenly.

"Okay..." Maura said, surprised by Jane's sudden change in demeanor.

"We're going home in two days."

"Yes. But that's not a question, Jane."

"Where do we go from there?" Jane asked.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking."

"Well, I mean, we're going home, and I was kind of wondering what we're going to do. I mean, we're going to tell our co-workers about us and we're going to date, right?"

"Yes. But what are you asking, Jane?"

"What I'm asking, or really what I'm afraid to ask, since it seems like too much, too soon, is what about our living situations?"

"Well, what would you like to do about our living situations? We can do whatever you want, Jane."

"Well, it's just, I mean, I don't know."

"Jane, you do realize you were practically living with me before all this happened, right? You were averaging four nights out of seven at my house. And of those four nights, you would sleep on my bed, right next to me, at least two of those nights. The other two nights you would either spend on the couch or in the guest bedroom. At least one night per week we get called to a crime scene and we don't sleep at all. And the other two nights we spend in our own places. I have no problem going back to that if you want. We don't have to rush anything."

"You're really okay with that?" Jane asked.

"Yes, I am. Although I would prefer it if the nights you spend with me are now all spent in my bed, and not on the couch or in the guest bedroom."

"I think I can handle that." Jane said.

"Good. Now finish your dinner. And stop worrying about everything." Maura said.

"I just don't want to screw this up, Maur. I don't want to lose you."

Maura reached over and put her hand on Jane's arm. "You're not going to lose me. I am in this for the long haul, Jane. You can't spend all your time sitting there thinking you're going to do something wrong. This is a first for both of us. We came to this part of our relationship the hard way, but that doesn't mean you have to worry constantly. I think you're going to see that we'll go home, and not much is going to change. You're still going to be a badass detective. We're still going to have drinks at the Robber and watch ESPN on my plasma television. We're going to eat tuna out of cans in the morgue and you're going to laugh at me for eating food out of the 'dead fridge'. The only difference is you're going to kiss me goodnight, and you're going to tell me you love me, and I'm going to do the same with you."

Jane nodded. She really was worried about screwing this up. She knew that after the way she had treated Maura that her worry wasn't really misplaced, but she knew she would have to make a bigger effort to be more relaxed about things. Maura was right, really. She usually was. Things weren't going to be much different when they returned home, except neither of them was going to have to hide their feelings anymore.

"I'm actually kinda excited to go home." Jane said. "Not that I'm not having a great time here, please don't think I'm ungrateful or not enjoying myself. I'm just looking forward to things being normal for us both again."

"Me too." Maura said. "I've missed having you around at home. It didn't feel like home without you there."

"I missed you too. And I'm sorry. I really am, Maura. I don't know how I can ever make that up to you. I will feel badly about how I treated you for the rest of my life."

"Well, you can make it up to me by promising to love, honor and cherish me. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a marriage proposal." Jane said.

"It isn't. Not yet. But whether we acknowledged it or not, we've been together for a long time, and I don't think it's going to take us long before we get to marriage proposals."

"Well, whatever you want to call it, I do."

"You do what?" Maura asked.

"I promise to love, honor and cherish you. Thank you for giving me that chance, even though I screwed things up so badly."

Maura's eyes softened. "I love you."

"I love you too, Maura."

"Finish your burger and shake, and let's take this bucket of beers down to the pool. We can watch the stars come out."

"That sounds so... romantic." Jane grinned.

"That's the intention." Maura smiled back.

* * *

 

They finished their dinner and carried the bucket of beers down to the pool deck. They pushed two lounge chairs directly next to each other and reclined. Jane popped the tops off of two beers and handed one to Maura.

"You're really going to drink that?" Jane asked.

"Sure, why not?"

"Because I'm sure that somewhere on this boat there is a very expensive bottle of red wine with your name on it, and you'd prefer to be drinking that."

"That's for tomorrow night. Tonight's a burgers and beer night."

"I think we should institute that weekly when we go home. Burgers and beer night."

"Jane, that's every night for you when we're working. You walk into the Dirty Robber and the waitress knows to start your burger for you without you having to ask."

Jane laughed. "You're right."

They sat back on the lounges and Maura started pointing out the constellations to Jane. Jane sat there and soaked up everything Maura said. She had missed Maura's Googlemouth, and listening to Maura talk- about anything- was enough to make Jane feel drunk without the beer.

Jane put her half-finished beer down on the deck next to her lounge and looked over at Maura. Maura stopped and realized Jane wasn't watching where she was pointing.

"What?" Maura asked softly.

"You're so beautiful. And smart. So smart." Jane said.

"You're not too shabby yourself, Jane."

Jane smiled and sat up. "It's hot out here, isn't it? Where's the breeze?"

"I guess it's going to be a warm night." Maura remarked.

"And we have this gorgeous pool right here. Too bad I don't have a bathing suit with me." Jane stood up and looked around. There were no crew members in sight, so she decided to have a little fun. "Good thing I have a nice bra and underwear to swim in."

"You can't, Jane! That's silk! The salt water in the pool will ruin it!"

Jane had already stepped out of her shorts and was pulling her shirt off as Maura tried to stop her.

"Huh, you've got a point. I guess I'll just have to take them off too." And with that, she pulled her underwear off and unclasped her bra. She turned from Maura and stepped into the pool.

"Ooh, Maur, the water's great!"

"Jane, I thought you were such a prude! Where did that come from?"

"I was hot." Jane said with a shrug, before dunking her head beneath the water. When she came back up, she was pleased to see Maura was stripping her clothes off too. "Going to join me, Doc?"

"Oh yes I am." Maura said as she scurried from the lounge to the pool stairs.

Jane swam off toward the deep end of the pool, treading water as she watched Maura enter on the shallow side. She didn't try to hide her open admiration of Maura's body. Maura was beautiful. Jane never lied when she told her that.

"Hey, where are you going?" Maura asked. "I can't reach the bottom over there."

"I guess you'll just have to hold on to me, then." Jane said as she made her way completely across the pool.

Maura swam after her, and Jane let Maura chase her for a few seconds before she stopped swimming and let Maura catch up. As soon as Maura got close enough, Jane pulled her into her arms and moved them toward one wall of the pool. Closer to the wall the water wasn't as deep, and Jane was able to put her feet down and keep her head above water. Maura, being a few inches shorter, was forced to hold on to Jane. Maura wrapped both her arms and legs around Jane, and Jane didn't mind that at all.

"Hey." Jane whispered, her lips close to Maura's.

"Hey." Maura whispered back.

Jane closed the distance between them and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss. Slow. Leisurely. Bordering somewhere closer to chaste than to passionate, but it went on forever.

Maura loved how easy this was, how effortlessly they fit together and could just kiss and kiss and kiss. She had wanted this for so long, needed it for so long, and was devastated when she lost it before she ever really had it. To be here, in Jane's arms, after everything that happened, was truly a gift. She knew she probably should not have forgiven Jane so quickly or so easily. She knew that Jane would never be able to undo the hurt she caused, even though she knew that Jane would spend her life trying to make up for it. But Maura also knew that none of that mattered anymore, because in the here and the now she was kissing Jane, and Jane was kissing her back. She loved Jane, and Jane loved her. She had everything she wanted right here in her arms, and to Maura this moment was perfect.

If it wouldn't have scared or overwhelmed Jane so much, she would have asked Jane to marry her that night. She didn't care if it was rushing things. But even Maura knew it was too much, too soon. And besides, she wanted Jane to have the best wedding proposal ever, and that took planning and forethought.

Jane broke away from their kiss to catch her breath, and Maura began kissing down Jane's neck. The saltwater from the pool made Jane's neck salty, and to Maura it was intoxicating. Jane shifted, letting go of Maura with one arm so she could maneuver her hand between Maura's legs. She ran her fingers through Maura's folds, surprised that she could tell just how wet their kissing was making Maura, even in the pool water. She swirled her fingers around Maura's clit, and listened to Maura as she moaned into her ear.

Jane slid two fingers inside of Maura, and used her thumb to continue rubbing Maura's clit. Maura threw her head back and moaned again. The water made Maura even lighter than she normally was, and Maura had no problem using Jane's other arm and the wall to leverage herself as she rode Jane's fingers.

Maura wondered how she got so close to orgasm so quickly. She could feel it building deep within her, rushing toward her like a wave rushing to shore in a storm. She started riding Jane's fingers harder and faster, not caring that the two of them were starting to make a noticeable disturbance in the pool's water, or that her wanton moans could easily attract the attention of a member of the ship's crew if they were on one of the decks above or below them.

Jane watched Maura in amazement. Maura's head was thrown back, her wet hair clinging to her neck. Jane listened to her moans and thought she could come just from the sound alone. Maura Isles on a good day was hot. Maura Isles riding her fingers in a swimming pool on a yacht with reckless abandon was even hotter.

As soon as Jane felt Maura's walls start to clamp around her fingers, she pulled Maura closer to her and kissed her hard, swallowing her screams.

Maura was surprised at the intensity of her orgasm and how quickly it happened, especially considering how sated she had been from her and Jane's experience earlier in the evening. Instead of analyzing it though, she chose to kiss Jane. Jane kissed her back, and already Maura was feeling a new wave of desire.

She had waited so long for Jane that she feared she may be forever insatiable. Maura figured there were worse things to be in life.

"Take me back over by the stairs, where I can reach the bottom, and I'll return the favor." Maura murmured against Jane's lips.

Jane half treaded water, half swam back across the pool with Maura still in her arms. They didn't stop kissing. When they reached the shallow end of the pool, Maura pushed Jane toward the stairs gently.

"Sit on the top step."

Jane eagerly obeyed. She sat facing Maura on the top of the pool's stairs and Maura knelt down between her legs, pushing Jane's knees apart.

Like Jane had done earlier, Maura didn't waste any time on foreplay. Jane was already soaking wet, and Maura dipped her head down to get a taste.

Jane hissed as Maura's tongue ran over her folds, circled her entrance and made it's way back up to her clit. Watching Maura get off a few minutes earlier had already made Jane dangerously close to her own orgasm. Maura's tongue was going to push her over the edge at any second. Maura began to circle Jane's clit with her tongue in earnest, quickly finding a rhythm that Jane liked. Jane gently pressed her palm against the back of Maura's head, directing the pressure of Maura's tongue right where she needed it. A minute later and Jane was already coming, her fingers tangled in Maura's hair, stilling her head when the attention to her clit became too much.

When Jane's hand finally loosened its grip against the back of Maura's head, Maura pulled herself up, and kissed Jane. Jane could taste herself on Maura's lips, and an entire new wave of desire washed over her.

"You are so amazing." Jane whispered into Maura's kiss. "So beautiful. That felt so good."

Maura continued to kiss her for a little while. "Let's go back to the room, Jane. Let's finish the night up there."

Jane nodded to Maura and they walked over to the cabinet where the pool towels were kept. They wrapped themselves up, grabbed their clothes from the deck, and quickly made their way back to the master stateroom.


	25. Chapter 25

They awoke early the next morning tangled up in each other. If it weren't for the difference in their skin tones, it would be impossible to tell where Jane ended and Maura began. The sheets were pushed all the way down at the end of the bed, and they had kept warm by simply cuddling together.

Maura opened her eyes first and snuggled closer to Jane. She ached a bit, in a good way. Years of yoga training had come in handy the night before, and she knew she had impressed Jane with her flexibility. She smiled at the memories and decided now would be as good of a time as any to make some more. She brushed her lips gently across Jane's, and felt Jane stir beneath her.

"Jane." Maura whispered.

Jane groaned a bit and pulled Maura closer to her reflexively. She was still fast asleep, her breathing even and her facial expression changing with whatever it was that was going on in her dream. Maura kissed her again, a bit harder this time, and even in her sleep, Jane reacted to her.

"Maur," Jane whispered, still dreaming.

Maura grinned. It seemed her dear detective was dreaming about her. Maura thought it would be fun to make Jane's dream as sweet as she possibly could, even if it meant risking waking Jane from such a deep sleep. She kissed Jane again, then put a hand between Jane's legs. Whatever Jane was dreaming, it certainly had her ready to go.

"Jaaaanne," Maura singsonged softly. "Wake up, Janie."

Surely the use of her nickname would wake her. Or maybe not.

Maura began to rub her fingers in a circle around Jane's clitoris, whispering to Jane and kissing her softly between her words.

"Jane, wake up."

Finally, Jane opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't just dreaming.

"Morning, beautiful." Maura said and kissed her again.

"Hey," Jane breathed out, arching up slightly into Maura's touch.

It took a few moments, but Jane finally got her wits about her and snaked a hand between Maura's legs and mimicked what Maura was doing to her.

"Mmm..." Maura moaned. "That feels good."

Jane kissed her, pulling Maura even tighter to her with her free hand.

Maura broke away from Jane's kiss and buried her head in Jane's neck as she chased her orgasm. Jane heard the tiny noises Maura was making and they turned her on that much more. When Maura came, she whispered Jane's name like a plea, and that was the final push Jane needed to send her tumbling over the edge into her own paradise.

It took them a few minutes to catch their breath afterward.

"I wouldn't mind waking up like that every morning." Jane said after a little while.

"Duly noted." Maura said. "Let's go shower and get dressed. We should be back in port and we have the entire day to explore the island."

"Okay." Jane said as she yawned, and followed Maura from the bed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a surprisingly tame shower (together), and a hearty, delicious breakfast, they disembarked at the port where their driver was waiting for them. They drove to Pythagorion, and Maura's Googlemouth was in hyperdrive on the ride there.

"Pythagorion was home to many of the men who excelled in the various sciences and art, such as the mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras and the astronomer Aristarchus, amongst others, who contributed greatly in shaping of modern day thinking."

"You mean like the Pythagorean theorem?" Jane asked.

"Precisely." Maura said, impressed that Jane made the connection. "Pythagorion is a very ancient city and there's history to be found everywhere."

"It sounds to me like we're going to nerd heaven." Jane joked.

"Maybe. It's definitely been on my list of places to visit." Maura said.

"You have a list?" Jane asked.

"Sure, there's hundreds of places I'd love to go see. Don't you have one?"

"Well, I haven't made an actual list, but yes, there are places I would like to visit before I kick off from this Earth."

"Maybe we can visit some of them together." Maura said.

"Considering that I'm never going anywhere without you ever again, that's going to be the only way we visit those places." Jane said with a smile.

"I can't think of a better way to go anyway." Maura grinned back.

Maura pointed out various points of interest along the way, and Jane marveled at the area's natural beauty. She could get used to living in the warm climate and the gorgeous natural beauty of the area. She would miss her family and her job too much to ever consider living here seriously. Still, it was nice to imagine.

Their first stop was Heraion, or the Temple of Hera.

"In modern times this is where the Olympic flame is lit, using the sun's rays." Maura explained. "It doesn't look like much now, but consider the size of the original stone temple and how much work went into building it. The original temple was destroyed in an earthquake in the fourth century AD. It was never rebuilt."

Jane nodded. Admittedly, it did just look like a giant pile of rocks, and she was surprised that they drove so far to see it, but Maura had a keen interest in places like these. Jane tried to look at it from Maura's perspective, but all she saw were the rocks. But those rocks were big and heavy, and she imagined the fortitude and skill it must have taken to build such a massive temple all the way back in the fourth century. Maybe now she could understand why Maura took such an interest in places like this.

Jane also loved the idea of the Olympic torch being lit here and the idea of that torch making its way to wherever the Olympics would be held. Considering the distance that Jane traveled to bring Maura home, the distance that torch traveled made her trip seem miniscule. Jane felt small and insignificant standing there, thinking of just how far it would go.

But what Jane loved the most out of this visit was that Maura knew all of this information seemingly off the top of her head. It was astounding.

"I'm kinda amazed that you know that." Jane said. Maura just smiled and they continued to look around.

From Heraion they traveled to the Monastery of Panagia Spillani, or the Cave of the Virgin Mary. They took in the beautiful landscape and Maura explained the legend of the icon contained within the church dug into a cave.

"According to the local legend, the icon was stolen and as it was being loaded into a boat, it fell into the water, breaking into pieces. The pieces washed back up on the island of Samos and the residents put the icon back together. It was stored here to prevent it from being stolen again."

"Seriously, how do you know all of this?" Jane asked.

"Well, when I planned this trip I researched it." Maura replied.

"When? I mean, we've been together non-stop since I arrived here."

"Just, here and there. While you were in the shower or while you were on the phone." Maura said with a shrug.

"Thank you for putting this trip together for us, Maur. It's really beautiful here."

They returned to the car, and the driver drove them back to Kokkari. They ate lunch at a place called Cafe Del Mar and did some shopping in town. Jane picked up souvenirs for her mother, brothers, Frost, Korsak and Cavanaugh. She figured she would pick up a few more souvenirs in Paris before they flew home, too. She mentally kicked herself for not picking anything up in Madrid, but then again, she had much bigger things on her mind at the time.

While Jane shopped for souvenirs, Maura shopped for things she loved. She wound up with several pairs of shoes, two new shirts, a scarf, and a new pair of sunglasses. She also bought two cases of wine that were produced on Samos as well as some non-perishable local specialties. When they returned to France she would have that all shipped home to herself, along with some of her favorite French foods that were difficult to find back at home.

By early evening they had grown tired. It had been a hot, sunny day on the island, and they returned to the boat to prepare for their date. They both showered and dressed in their outfits.

"You look gorgeous." Maura remarked when Jane put her suit on.

"This is a really nice suit, Maura. Thank you so much."

"When we go back to Boston, you should wear that. Maybe on your first day back to work?"

"I'd love to, but what if I have to chase down a perp or have to investigate a messy murder scene?"

"You can't worry about things like that. If it gets ruined, we'll get you another one."

"You don't have to buy me new clothes, Maur. It's really nice of you, but I don't want people to think I am with you for your money."

"I know you're not, and that's all that matters. But if it makes you uncomfortable I won't buy you clothes."

Jane looked at Maura. "Hey, it's not that it makes me uncomfortable. I just don't want you to spend money on me if you don't have to. As it is you and your family have bought me all these clothes, you took me on this wonderful trip, flew me around in your private jet, and the day after tomorrow you're flying me home to Boston in first class. I kind of feel like Cinderella, but the difference is that I don't deserve any of this. I'm very grateful for it, but let's not forget what I did that brought us both to Europe to begin with."

"I'm sorry if I want to spoil you." Maura said. "I like doing nice things for you. But if I go too overboard, or if it gets overwhelming, just tell me and I'll stop, all right?"

"All right. Thank you, again. And by the way, you look absolutely exquisite, Maur."

Maura blushed. "Thank you, Jane."

Jane wrapped her arm around Maura's back, and they walked down to the third deck together, where the dining room was located. The dining room doubled as a small ballroom, with windows on three sides. It gave all the appearances of being outdoors, without the wind. When they arrived up there, a table for two was set in the middle of the forward-facing window, complete with candles already lit. In the background, soft music played. It was just loud enough to be heard, but still quiet enough to have a normal conversation over.

As they were being seated in the large dining room, the boat began to depart the dock once more. "Tonight we're going to sail from Kokkari to Karlovasi, just for the views. By morning we will have circled back to Kokkari, where the car will meet us and take us back to the airport." Maura said.

"Sounds wonderful."

"Tonight we're having a four course dinner, prepared by Maurice, our five star chef. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I tried to pick out your favorites."

"That's really sweet, Maura. Thank you."

Maura reached under the table, where she had instructed the steward to leave the bouquet of flowers hidden. She pulled them out and handed them to Jane. "And these are for you, though they don't come anywhere close to how beautiful you are."

Now it was Jane's turn to blush. "Wow, thank you. But if anyone looks stunning tonight, it's you. That dress fits you beautifully and the green color really compliments your eyes and your hair."

"Thank you for noticing, Jane. I picked out this color for exactly that reason."

While they were complimenting each other, the crew's sole waiter came up with a bottle of wine.

"Good evening, Doctor Maura. Hello, Detective." He said kindly.

"Jane, this is Wilfredo, he will be our server and our sommelier tonight."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you." Jane said. She loved how the entire crew called Maura "Doctor Maura" and how friendly and familiar Maura was with them. It made the whole experience a little less overwhelming for Jane.

"It's nice to meet you too, Detective."

"Please, call me Jane."

"Okay, Detective Jane." Wilfredo said with a smile. 'Ladies, this evening I have a vintage Psilés Korfés. This is a dry wine that the chef has hand-selected to go with your meal." Wilfredo popped the cork and poured a small amount into Maura's wine glass. Maura let it sit for a moment, then picked up the glass and swirled the contents carefully before taking a sip.

"Oh, that's delicious. I am sure it will complement our meal beautifully." Maura said.

Wilfredo nodded and poured a glass for Maura and a glass for Jane. "The chef is aware that you prefer red wines, Doctor Maura, but for this evening's meal, he thought you might enjoy a lighter, dryer, local specialty."

"Thank you, Wilfredo. And please thank Maurice for me too."

"I shall, Doctor Maura. To start you off this evening our chef has made a delicious lemon chicken soup using locally grown lemons and other regional specialties. The soup is refreshing and hearty, and is the perfect palate-cleanser for the rest of your meal. Following the soup there is a spanakopita appetizer. Maurice has hand made the phyllo dough and the feta cheese in this appetizer. Like the produce in the soup, the greens in this appetizer are locally grown and were cut fresh today."

"That sounds delicious." Jane remarked, and Maura grinned.

"For your entree, the chef has selected fresh salmon, baked with a creamy avocado tzatziki sauce and a side of tuna souvlaki pasta salad. And finally, for dessert, freshly baked baklava and butter cookies."

"Oh my!" Maura exclaimed. "I'm glad we ate a light lunch."

"Me too." Jane replied.

"Your first course will be out shortly, ladies."

"Thank you, Wilfredo." Maura said.

Wilfredo gave a short little bow and then returned to the kitchen, out of sight.

"This is incredible, Maura. You set this all up on your own?"

"Admittedly, I let Maurice pick most of the menu. I just told him what you liked and disliked, and he built a Greek-themed menu around it."

"Still, thank you. This is wonderful."

Maura beamed at Jane, relieved to see how completely not overwhelmed Jane was at the moment. This was the Jane she missed. The Jane she longed for. The Jane she loved, and would never let go of.

They ate each course and watched the Greek island of Samos go by. They laughed and they joked. They smiled and they touched each other.

For the first time since their reunion they had what Maura could consider a "normal" dinner. They talked about work, their families, and their trip. There was no planning ahead, no uncertain questioning by Jane. For the moment, Jane seemed to have shed her guilt, though Maura knew it would be back. Jane would never forget the hurt she caused, but for now there was only them, in this moment, together. There were no buried feelings, no skirting around the truth.

It was refreshing.

They spent hours at dinner, and as Wilfredo began to clear away the last of their plates, Maura reached out to Jane. "Dance with me."

"Here?" Jane asked. "I'm kind of a horrible dancer, Maura."

Maura stood up and pulled Jane up with her. "I don't care. We're alone here, there's soft, slow music playing, and we have a view like no other. Dance with me."

Jane nodded and followed Maura to the window. Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's shoulders, and Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's waist. They slowly swayed to the music.

"I would have to say that as far as official first dates go, this one was the best one in the history of the world." Jane whispered.

"You can't know that. You have no frame of reference for that." Maura said logically.

Jane just grinned at her. "I've missed you, Dr. Smartypants."

"I've loved you. For a long time."

"I've loved you too. And I always will."

They swayed together, wrapped up in each other, no longer even paying attention to the music. Slowly they brought their lips together in a sweet kiss.

They were kissing like that when they heard someone clear their throat from across the room. Slowly they separated and looked up.

"Hello, Maurice." Maura said.

"Hello, Doctor Maura. Please forgive the intrusion. I just wanted to make sure that your dinner was satisfactory?"

"It was wonderful, Maurice. Thank you so much."

"It was really great," Jane added. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure. If the two of you don't require anything further, Wilfredo and I will both retire for the evening so we can be ready with your breakfast in the morning."

"That's fine, Maurice. Thank you again, and good night."

"Good night, Doctor Maura, Detective Jane."

Jane gave the chef a little wave. After he left, Jane turned to Maura. "Why do they all call you Doctor Maura?"

"Because if they called me Doctor Isles, both my father and I would answer to that. So I am Doctor Maura and my father is Doctor Isles. Him being the more formal of the two of us, it just makes sense. I've tried so many times to get them to call me 'Maura', but they're too polite."

"I see. I think it's adorable. I may start calling you Doctor Maura."

Maura took Jane's hand and led her out of the dining room. "Let's go play doctor, Detective."

Jane laughed and followed Maura out of the room. "Maybe we can play cops and robbers and I can handcuff you." Jane joked.

"Ooh, did you bring those with you all the way from Boston?" Maura asked, intrigued.

"Oh my god, Maura, no. I was kidding!"

"Oh." Maura said, slightly disappointed. "Too bad, that might have been fun."

Jane shook her head and followed Maura back into their stateroom, locking the door behind them.


	26. Chapter 26

The following morning the steward loaded up their suitcases and their purchases into the trunk of the limousine that was waiting for them at the port in Kokkari. The rest of the crew waited on the deck for Jane and Maura to say their goodbyes.

Captain Eduardo pulled Maura into a bear hug. "It was wonderful to see you again, Doctor Maura! Please, come see us again. And thank you, because I don't often get to pilot a boat this big."

Maura smiled at him. "It was good to see you, Eduardo." She turned to the rest of the crew. "It was good to see all of you again. Thank you for a wonderful time."

"I want to cater your wedding." Maurice chimed in.

"I like that idea." Jane said, smiling.

"I like that idea too. We'll let you know, Maurice." Maura said. "And perhaps Captain Eduardo will take us on our honeymoon. A cruise around the world sounds nice."

"A girl can dream, can't she?" Jane said, trying to hide her shock at the fact that with Maura, that wasn't just a dream, it was a distinct possibility.

They gave everyone one last wave and a thank you, and then got back in the limousine.

They were quiet in the car on the way back to the airport. The sun was so bright, making the Greek countryside look like it was being baked. Both of them were soaking up the sights, neither sure when they would ever be back to see this.

"I had a really great time, Maura. Thank you."

"It was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was more than fun, Maura. It was wonderful. I will never forget this."

"Not too shabby for a first date, right?" Maura said with a grin.

Jane smirked and winked, so that Maura would be absolutely certain she was kidding when she said "I don't know. I thought the spanakopita was a bit dry and I found the boat to be way too small."

Maura laughed. "I'll spoil you yet, Jane."

"You already have. Seriously though, thank you. No date that I put together for you is ever going to come close to that, but believe me I am going to try."

"I'm going to love any date that you take me on." Maura said sincerely. "Depending on how busy we are at work the week after we get back, maybe we can go out? Maybe catch a Red Sox game before the season ends?"

"You can count on it. And if things are terribly busy, we can order in and watch movies."

"Both ideas sound wonderful."

"It's a date, then." Jane said, smiling.

The limousine pulled up at the airport and a uniformed attendant walked to the trunk of the car to start pulling out their bags. Jane saw Maura scowl.

"What's wrong?" Jane asked, looking around.

"The pilot isn't on the plane. He's talking to the ground crew. He looks upset."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good."

"No, by now he should be on the plane doing his final checks. I have a feeling something is wrong with the plane. We may be delayed a bit."

"Okay," Jane said. "Do you think we'll be back in time to fly home tomorrow?"

"I hope the delay won't be that significant. I would think they would have called me if there was a serious mechanical issue with the plane. I guess we should just go and find out."

They stepped out of the car and approached the pilot.

"Is everything okay?" Maura asked, very aware of the angry faces of the ground crew members.

"Doctor Isles, I'm so terribly sorry, but it looks as if the ground crew working for the airport here is set to go on strike. No one has refueled the plane. If they strike, we will not be able to take off. I am trying to convince these _gentlemen_ that it is of the utmost importance that we be refueled before they strike. Unfortunately,they do not agree."

"What time is the strike set for?" Maura asked.

"One hour from now." One of the ground crew members stated.

"And why can't we refuel before the strike starts?" Maura asked the man.

"Because there are many other planes ahead of yours to be refueled."

Maura looked around. Jane did too.

"I don't see any other planes." Jane said, crossing her arms.

"That's because there are none, Detective." The pilot said. "These gentlemen are using the impending strike to force us into bribing them into refueling the plane."

"WHAT? That's illegal! I'll have you know I am a detective with the Boston Police Department!" Jane yelled.

"And it seems you are a little out of your jurisdiction, Detective." One of the ground crew members sneered.

Maura put her hand on Jane's arm, effectively silencing Jane. "Jane, let me handle this, please." Maura turned to the pilot. "Would you mind getting Jane settled on board? I'd like to talk to the crew members for a moment."

"Don't pay their bribe, Maura. Don't sink to their level!" Jane said as the pilot tugged at her arm gently.

"Just let Doctor Isles take care of this, Detective. This isn't the first time we've been stopped like this, unfortunately. She's always gotten us out of situations like this, but I never know if she pays a bribe or not."

"I hope she doesn't. It's ridiculous that something like that could happen in this day and age!"

"She'll take care of it. Just keep your eyes open, I don't trust those people, and I don't like leaving her there by herself with them."

"Oh then forget it! I'm not leaving her there by herself!" Jane yelled and started to get off the plane.

"Please detective, just stay on the plane. We'll both keep an eye on her."

Jane watched as Maura stood there and spoke with the ground crew. She had no idea what they were saying to each other, but the conversation was definitely less heated than the one that the pilot had been having with the crew. Maura looked poised and calm, just like she always did.

A few minutes later the crew members were smiling and nodding, and Maura was walking back to the plane. As Maura walked to the plane, one of the crew members waved at the fuel truck, and it started to drive over.

Before Maura got on the plane, she asked the attendant that had loaded their luggage to pull out one of the cases of wine she was bringing home. She took two bottles out and walked them back over to the ground crew. Jane watched Maura stick her finger out, as if she were admonishing them.

"I bet she's telling them not to drink it while they're on duty, and I bet they're going to pop it open and drink it as soon as we take off." Jane said.

The pilot next to her grunted in agreement.

Maura returned to the plane and sat down next to Jane as the pilot closed the cabin door. "We should be fueled up in the next thirty minutes or so."

"Roger that, Doctor Isles. Thank you." The pilot looked as if he was going to ask Maura if she paid the bribe or not, but then realized it wasn't his place to ask.

Jane asked for him. "You didn't pay them off, did you?"

"No. I simply said that if they fueled us up before the strike began, I would call a lawyer I know and see if he would be available help negotiate their strike terms on behalf of their union."

"And they accepted your word like that?" Jane asked.

"Well, I had to sweeten the deal with some wine. But I made them promise not to drink it until they were off duty."

Jane shook her head. "You're really going to call your lawyer friend?"

"Sure, but I doubt it'll do them much good. He's in Istanbul at the moment and won't be back for several weeks."

Jane laughed. "You lied to them! How are you not breaking out in hives?"

"I didn't lie at all. I said I would make a call. I will make that call right now, actually."

The pilot laughed and headed toward the cockpit. "I'll have us airborne as soon as I can. I'm sorry for the delay."

"Don't worry about it." Maura said with a smile as she scrolled through her contacts on her phone.

The pilot closed the door to the cockpit and Maura looked out the window as she waited for her phone to connect. When the man fueling up the plane caught her eye, Maura smiled and pointed to her phone against her ear. The man smiled back.

Maura got the lawyer's voicemail, as she expected.

"Hello Anthony! It's Maura Isles. I know we haven't spoken in ages, but I figured you were the best person to call. I was in Samos for a few days and the airport ground crews were about to strike and were refusing to refuel us if we didn't bribe them. Instead of paying them off, I said I would contact you to see if you would negotiate the terms of their return to work. I realize you're traveling for the next few weeks and that you probably won't even get this message until you get back, but I had to make it look like I was making the call. I'm willing to bet that by the time you get back their strike is over anyway. I hope all is well with you and your family, and the next time you're in Boston, please do stop by. Take care."

She hung up and saw the man with the fuel hose looking up at her. She gave him a thumbs up sign, and he finished his task and went back to the truck.

"That was kind of mean." Jane said. "But I'm still totally impressed."

"Well, I did everything I said I would, and it got us fueled up and ready to go. Besides, it was mean of them to try and make us pay a bribe."

"Have you ever paid a bribe?" Jane asked.

"Nope, not once." Maura said. "I've always found a way around it somehow."

"If anyone could, it would be you." Jane said with a smile.

Maura used the phone in the main cabin to call the cockpit, to let the pilot know it appeared that they had finished fueling the plane. The pilot confirmed that the fuel gauges were all showing full, and they would be underway within the hour. They still had to complete some pre-flight checks and then get clearance from the tower, and it looked as if several flights were ahead of them, all trying to beat the strike. Since the people in the control tower were not part of the same union as the ground crews, they didn't anticipate a problem with taking off, other than the congestion of the flights ahead of them. Maura relayed this information to Jane.

"Sounds good to me. Hopefully we'll have a smoother flight than we had on the way here."

"I don't think it will be as bumpy."

"That's good. I was pretty scared." Jane said.

"Is that an admission of fear? From you?" Maura asked.

"Is that sarcasm, from you?" Jane deflected back.

"No, really, were you scared?" Maura asked.

"I was. If I could have crawled into your lap and kept my seat belt fastened, I would have."

"I'm sorry you were scared, but I'm proud of you for telling me."

"I promised you I wasn't going to keep my feelings from you anymore. It's not going to be easy, but it's a promise I made, so I am going to keep it."

"Good. And if you get scared on this flight and you feel the need to, uh, crawl into my lap, then go ahead."

Jane smiled at Maura. "The creepy guy from New York asked me if I knew what the Mile High Club was. Maybe once we take off we can go over to that couch over there and become members ourselves."

"Jane, I misjudged you. You're not a prude at all."

"You seem to have cured me of that problem." Jane said and laughed.

Thirty minutes later they were airborne, and another ten minutes after that they had reached their cruising altitude.

"I'm just going to use the facilities." Maura said and got up.

"Okay. I'll use them when you're done." Jane said and followed Maura to the back of the plane. Jane sat on the couch just outside the lavatory. Maura came back out and Jane went in, and instead of returning to her seat, Maura sat down on the couch. She took her sandals off and wiggled her toes, then pulled her legs up onto the couch and reclined along its length. When Jane came back out of the lavatory, Maura tapped the cushion she was sitting on.

"Care to join me?" She asked quietly.

Jane looked around, then back at Maura.

"Unless there's an emergency, and there won't be one, neither the pilot nor the copilot will exit the cockpit on this flight." Maura said to reassure Jane.

Jane smiled. She kicked off her sandals and crawled up the length of the couch until she was face-to-face with Maura. Maura leaned forward and kissed her. As Maura's hands started to wander over Jane's body, she pulled away from the kiss.

"Hey babe, you know what the Mile High Club is?" Maura said in her best fake New York accent.

"Ew, don't remind me of him." Jane said as she kissed Maura again. "He was gross. You, on the other hand, are not gross at all. You are beautiful."

"So are you." Maura said as she leaned in to kiss Jane again.

Maura grabbed Jane's shirt and yanked it off, surprising Jane with the ferocity of her actions. Jane groaned in appreciation when Maura buried her face in Jane's chest, kissing, sucking and licking the tops of Jane's breasts outside of her bra. Jane reached around and unclasped the bra, pulling it off as quickly as Maura had removed her shirt. Maura pulled one of Jane's nipples into her mouth and laved at it, causing Jane to moan. Jane reached out and cupped Maura's breasts through her shirt and bra for a moment before deciding there were too many barriers between her hands and Maura's skin.

"Take this off." Jane whispered as she tried to lift off Maura's shirt. Maura let go of Jane's nipple long enough to remove her shirt and bra, then shifted her attention to Jane's other nipple.

"That feels so good." Jane said.

She reached down to unbutton Maura's shorts and pulled them down, along with her underwear. Maura did the same on Jane.

Maura realized that they were now both completely naked on her parents' private jet, and though it was highly unlikely, at any moment the pilot or the copilot could enter the main cabin. It sent a tiny thrill up her spine to think that they might get caught.

Maura watched Jane look around furtively.

"Jane, it's all right." Maura scooted down so that she was lying flat along the length of the couch. She guided Jane's hips to above her face. "Turn around." she said to Jane.

Jane turned around and realized what Maura had planned. She lowered herself gently onto Maura's face while she lowered her own head between Maura's legs. They tasted each other simultaneously, and then both laughed when they both hissed in pleasure at the same time.

Jane let her tongue wander over Maura's folds, setting a slow, leisurely pace. Maura was already so wet, and it made Jane even wetter to see it.

Maura licked up Jane's slit until she found Jane's clitoris. She circled it a few times before licking back down again. She used her tongue to penetrate Jane.

"Oh Maura." Jane said quietly against her before continuing her own ministrations. As Jane used her mouth to stimulate Maura, she inserted two fingers inside her. It was a bit awkward, making love like this, but it didn't take Jane long to find all the places where Maura was the most sensitive. Maura's walls were already tightening around Jane's fingers and she knew that Maura wasn't far off from her orgasm at all.

Jane curled her fingers up and increased her pressure on Maura's clit and suddenly Maura was coming, causing her to temporarily stop what she was doing to Jane as she rode out her orgasm.

"Oh Jane, Jane, Jane!" Maura cried out against Jane's thigh.

When Maura had calmed down a bit, she continued licking and sucking Jane's folds. Jane was so wet that her juices were starting to run down her thighs. Maura licked them up, thirsty for more.

"I want you to come on my face, Jane." Maura said, her voice low and commanding. "I can't get enough of you." She growled, then pulled Jane down onto her face. Maura used her tongue to penetrate Jane again and Jane rocked back and forth against Maura's face, gently at first because she was afraid of somehow hurting Maura. Maura sensed this and used her hands to encourage Jane. When Jane found a better rhythm, Maura snaked one of her hands around the front of Jane and used her fingers to stimulate Jane's clit.

"Oh fuck! Maura!" Jane said, overwhelmed by the sensations Maura was creating. "Oh god, I'm gonna come!" Jane said.

Maura flicked Jane's clit harder and it sent Jane tumbling over the edge, causing her to gush into Maura's mouth. Maura held Jane in place with her hands wrapped around Jane's thighs. She waited for Jane to calm down, and when she knew she was no longer super sensitive, she licked around Jane's sex, cleaning her up. Finally, she let go of Jane's thighs, and Jane turned to look down at her.

"Jesus Maura, where did you learn to do that?"

Maura shrugged, wiping one hand across her mouth in a very un-Maura-like way.

Jane leaned in and kissed Maura, and they tasted themselves on each other.

"That was amazing, but you're a mess now." Jane said, looking at Maura's disheveled hair and her still-glistening face.

"I'm going to get cleaned up in the lavatory. Wait here for me?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Jane said with a smile.

Maura picked up her clothes and walked into the lavatory. A little while later she came out fully clothed with her hair up in a loose ponytail and her makeup looking like it had never been ruined.

Jane had dressed while Maura was in the lavatory, but went in to wash up and fix her own hair when Maura came back out. When Jane returned she found Maura reclining on the couch again.

"Isn't that how we got started before?" Jane asked wryly.

Maura laughed. "We still have more than two hours before we land. We had a late night last night and a very um, active, flight. I thought if you wanted to we could sleep for a little while."

"I've never heard you suggest a nap before, but far be it for me to turn one down. Especially if I can spend it curled up with you."

Maura smiled at Jane as Jane got back onto the couch with her. She sighed contentedly as Maura's arm came around and hugged her.

"This is nice. Usually I'm the big spoon." Jane said.

"That's because you're taller. But I like to hold you, too."

"Hold away then, Maura."

Maura kissed the back of Jane's head and they drifted off into a comfortable sleep. They didn't stir again until the pilot announced they were preparing for their initial approach into Paris.

* * *

They arrived back at the Isles' estate and began to gather their belongings for their trip back to Boston the following morning.

Maura pulled a bottle of wine out of the case that she bought and left it on the dining room table for her parents to find when they came back. Jane and Maura each left them a handwritten thank you note. They also left a bottle of wine in Henri's room, hoping he would enjoy it when he returned from visiting his daughter.

Maura made up a box of the goods she had bought in Greece and France that she wanted Henri to ship home to her. She left the box along with the instructions on where to ship everything for him to find.

They made themselves salads for dinner, opting to eat light after the fabulous food Maurice had made for them on the ship.

They showered and got ready for bed, both of them still exhausted from their trip and their inauguration into the Mile High Club. They had an early flight the next day, and both were eager to sleep.

"I'm conflicted." Maura said as they got into bed and curled up with each other. "I'm eager to go home and have things go back to normal, but I'm sad to be leaving here, where I have you all to myself."

"I feel the same way. But I also keep remembering how we wound up here, and even though things turned out wonderfully, I can't shake the guilt. I also can't shake the fear that this is all a dream."

"It's not a dream, Jane. You're stuck with me."

"I wouldn't call it stuck, that's so negative. But maybe you're stuck with me."

"I just like the idea that we're together. That's all that matters. Thank you for coming to find me."

"I'm the one who should be thanking you. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for letting me apologize. Thank you for so readily accepting that apology. And thank you for everything we did while we were here. Thank you for loving me when I was at my worst."

"Thank you for coming to your senses." Maura said as she turned around and kissed Jane's forehead.

"I love you." Jane said.

"I love you too. Now get some sleep."

* * *

The taxi arrived early the next morning and Maua locked up the house for the last time. They arrived at the airport and checked in their luggage. Jane made sure they triple checked that everything was going to Boston Logan Airport. They also inquired about Jane's lost luggage at the baggage claim center, but Jane's luggage had not yet been found. Jane updated her information with the claim center, instructing them to send the luggage back to Boston if it was ever located.

They passed through security and Jane shopped for souvenirs for everyone back home. Her family and friends each deserved a huge thank you for what they had done for Jane, and the souvenirs didn't amount to much, but they were a start. Jane planned to write each person a thank you card as well, and repay them the money they had laid out for her. She and Maura had also discussed taking everyone out for a nice dinner once they were settled in back at home.

They arrived at their gate to wait for their boarding announcements, but didn't say much. Both of them realized what this trip had done for them. There had been the potential for so much to go wrong. Jane could have been heading home by herself.

Jane took Maura's hand in her own and squeezed it. "Everyone is going to be so happy to see you when we get home."

Maura squeezed back. "I can't wait to see them. I missed them."

"They missed you, too. I'm sorry I hurt you so much that you had to get away from me, and leave them all behind."

Maura let go of Jane's hand, but turned toward her so that they were facing each other. In the background the gate agent had started to make boarding announcements for the first class passengers.

"It was the worst thing I have ever experienced, Jane. Losing you like that was worse than when you shot yourself and when I stopped talking to you after you shot Paddy. I'm begging you to never push me away like that again."

"I won't, Maura, I promise. You don't have to beg. I'm so sorry."

"I love you. Now take me home."

Jane grinned at Maura and held her elbow out. Maura looped her arm through, and together they boarded the aircraft.


	27. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It took Jane weeks to bring up the subject with Maura. She didn't know why she was so terrified of asking. Maura had broached the subject with Jane more than once herself, so Jane knew it was something Maura already wanted. Still, this was a huge step, and even though Jane felt ready, they had only been together officially for six months. She wondered if this was too much, too soon. How could it be though? Six months was a long time for some people.

She had to do something though. The lease on her apartment was coming up for renewal in less than a month. She was rarely ever there anymore. All of her clothes were now at Maura's house, and Jo Friday and the baby tortoise had already moved in with Maura. Jane hadn't slept at the apartment in over three months, and the last time she had, Maura had slept there with her. It was on that night that Maura first asked Jane if she wanted to move in with her.

" _You practically live with me already. The only thing you do is get mail here." Maura said._

" _I know, but we've only been dating for three months. What if you wake up one day and realize that you don't want to live with me? I'm grumpy in the morning. I like instant coffee. I kick off my boots as soon as I walk in the door and I don't put them in the closet."_

" _Jane." Maura said._

" _I want to move in with you, but I feel like I would be rushing things if I did."_

" _Jane." Maura said again._

" _Won't people think it's weird if I move in with you already?"_

" _I don't care what anyone thinks. It's been three months since we've come home from Europe, and I've never been happier. But if you don't want to move in, then don't move in."_

" _It's not that I don't want to." Jane said._

" _Then why won't you just officially move in? You do understand that you live there already, right?"_

" _I know. I do live there already, and there's really no reason for me to keep this place. I just thought it would be a good idea for us to date more before I officially move in."_

" _You know we're beyond dating. You know you already live there. But whatever this is that is making you so uncomfortable, I won't push it. Just remember that you promised me you wouldn't hide your feelings from me anymore."_

" _I did, and I am being honest with you by saying that I do want to move in with you. My lease is up in three months. Can we stick with the status quo until then? Make sure you still want to be with me at the half year mark?"_

" _Do you really think that I'm going to break up with you at some point? Do you live with that fear every day, Jane?"_

" _Sometimes I just don't know what you see in me. I just don't want to mess this up. I don't want to smother you. I don't want to lose you."_

" _Do you know that I love you?" Maura asked._

" _Absolutely. And I love you too."_

" _Have I ever broken a promise to you?"_

" _You never have."_

" _And I never will, Jane. I love you, and I wish you would stop worrying about things like this. We are together. Forever. Nothing is going to come between us. We went through too much. We value each other too much to make those mistakes again. I promise you that if you move in officially, nothing is going to change. I promise you that you have nothing to worry about. But for now, I'll let this go. I'm not looking to argue. If you're not ready to make it official, it's okay with me."_

_Jane nodded. "Thank you."_

Jane waited nervously for Maura to come home. Maura had gotten a call from the governor and had to run off suddenly. Jane felt bad for her, it was their second straight week with almost no down time. Jane decided to try and make the evening as relaxing as possible for when Maura got back. Maybe it would make things less tense for when Jane asked to move in. She had dinner waiting for them and she had added a couple of documentaries that Maura wanted to see to the Netflix queue.

When Maura arrived, Jane greeted her at the door, taking her winter coat off and hanging it up for her. She kissed her tenderly.

"Everything okay? You were gone for a while."

"I had to let Dr. Pike go. He caused a major chain of custody issue on a case that's pending in Western Mass, and the governor called us both into his office. It took hours for Pike to show up, and then he insulted me in front of the governor. The governor pretty much gave me the choice of firing Pike or having him do it for me."

"As much as I don't like Pike, I know that must have been awful for you. I'm sorry, Maura."

Maura wrapped her arms around Jane. "It was pretty bad. I may have to go out to Western Mass next week to get the morgue ready for his replacement. The governor recommended Dr. Thompson."

"I think he would be a good replacement."

"I think so too. He did a good job while I was gone." Maura lifted her head off of Jane's chest. "It smells really good in here."

"I had dinner delivered from that Thai place that you love and I put those new documentaries that you wanted to see in the Netflix queue."

"That was really sweet of you, Jane!" Maura stood up on her tiptoes and gave Jane a peck on the cheek. "Let me go upstairs and change out of these clothes and then I'll come down for dinner."

"Sounds good."

When Maura came back, Jane had poured two glasses of wine and had dinner on the coffee table in the living room.

"I figured we could eat in here, this way we can start the movies right away."

Maura sat down and took the plate from Jane. "This smells delicious. I don't think I've eaten since breakfast."

"Then chow down. There's plenty."

Jane pressed play on the remote and the first documentary started. They ate in a companionable silence for a little while, and Maura watched Jane fidget.

"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Maura asked sweetly.

"Nothing's bothering me." Jane said quickly.

"You can't sit still, Jane. What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you about two things."

"Okay..." Maura leaned forward and put her dish on the coffee table, then paused the movie.

"First, my mother asked me to ask you if she could have a dog in the guesthouse."

"Sure she can. Why couldn't she? She's such a great house guest. I'm sure she would be a responsible pet owner."

"It's just that it's not just any dog. See, Korsak approached my Ma and said that Elsie, Casey's service dog, is too big and too rambunctious for his apartment. He knows you have a big yard here, and that Elsie would be better off. My Ma loves the dog."

"How do you feel about that?" Maura asked.

"I'm not sure. I mean, Elsie is a good dog, and I know she would make my mother happy, but I didn't know if you would like the idea of Casey's service dog being here."

"He's not going to come and visit her, is he?" Maura asked.

"I don't know. I don't imagine he would. No one has heard from him since his surgery. I guess if he wanted to see the dog my Ma could bring her to a park or something and he could see her there."

"Then I'm fine with her bringing the dog home. Is she prepared for how much work that dog is going to be?"

"Well, that brings me to the second thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay," Maura encouraged.

"Um, I could help out with Elsie more if I moved in here. I was wondering if you still wanted me to?"

The worry fell from Maura's face and she beamed at Jane. "Of course I want you to! Oh Jane, finally! I'm so happy! When do you want to move in?"

"Well, the lease on my apartment is up at the end of the month. I don't have a lot of stuff there but I need to pack and donate some stuff. So maybe I could get everything together and be ready within the next two weeks?"

"That'll work. I'll be back from Western Massachusetts by the end of next week. I could help you pack and sort through your things. If you wanted, the Isles Foundation can take some of the furniture you won't need and can give it to some of the shelters we work with."

"That would be great, Maur. Thanks. And thanks for letting me do this in my own time."

"If there's anything I've learned about you, it's that you can't be rushed." Maura said. Jane leaned forward and kissed her.

* * *

"Hey Jane, your cell phone is ringing!" Maura yelled from Jane's kitchen as she wrapped Jane's china and put it in a box.

Jane stuck her head out from the bedroom. "Who is it?"

"I don't know. It's an unknown number."

Jane dashed down the hall into the kitchen, and Maura yanked a stray strip of packing tape off of Jane's backside.

"I was wondering where that went." Jane said with a laugh as she picked up her phone.

"Rizzoli" she said as she answered.

"Hi, this is the lost luggage claim center, we're calling to tell you we've found mishandled baggage for Jane Rizzoli."

"Oh my god, that luggage was lost six months ago."

"Yes ma'am, we know, and we're terribly sorry. The luggage is still in good condition and has arrived in Boston. We were looking for an address to drop it off."

"I'm actually in the process of moving. Are you going to drop it off today?"

"Yes ma'am, we can have it to you within the next two hours."

"Okay, then you should drop it at my apartment. Let me give you the address."

Jane gave the woman the address and they disconnected the call.

"Well, that's weird." Maura said. "I didn't think you were ever going to see that bag again."

"Me either. I'll just toss the suitcase in the back of the moving van and we can deal with it when I unpack the stuff I'm bringing to your house."

"Our house, Jane."

Jane smiled. "It'll only be our house when you start letting me make half the mortgage payments."

"I don't have a mortgage. I paid for the house in full when I bought it."

Jane laughed. "Of course you did. Did you pay for the electricity and the water and the property taxes in full too, when you bought the house?"

"You can do that?" Maura asked, surprised.

"No, silly. I was kidding. But that means I can chip in for that stuff. Then it will be our house."

Maura shrugged. "If you want to, that's fine with me."

"Of course I want to. There's no reason we shouldn't share household expenses. It's bad enough I've let it go for this long without chipping in more."

"You buy groceries all the time. You cook and you clean too."

"And now that I officially live there, I will do even more."

Maura was just about to ask what more Jane could do when there was a knock on the door.

"That can't be the luggage, they just called." Jane said as she stepped toward the door. Maura walked out of the kitchen to follow Jane, but stayed several feet behind her.

Jane opened the door.

"Who is it Jane? Is it your baggage?" Maura asked from behind her.

"Not that kind of baggage." Jane responded.

"Hello Jane." Casey said, smiling smugly at her. "You look great."

Suddenly Maura was behind Jane and Jane could hear the gasp Maura let out.

"Oh, hello Maura." Casey said, trying to hide his annoyance but failing.

"Casey." Jane said.

Maura hadn't said a word. She couldn't. She knew it was irrational, but she suddenly feared that Jane was going to see Casey, who was obviously doing quite well, and decide that she didn't want to be with her anymore.

Jane looked over to Maura, whose mouth gaped and whose hand was clenched against her chest.

"What are you doing here?" Jane asked, angry that his unannounced arrival had upset Maura.

"I came to see you." He replied, clearly looking Jane over.

Oh god, Maura thought. It was as bad as she feared. He was here for Jane. Maura's mind flashed suddenly to the ring she had hidden in a shoebox in her closet. The simple, understated diamond engagement ring that she knew fit Jane's personality better than anything flashy ever would. Maura had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to give it to Jane. She had learned that over the top things like their first official date tended to overwhelm Jane, so her original idea of a big, fancy marriage proposal had gone out the window. Instead, Maura had been waiting for a loving, tender moment between them. There had been countless opportunities, and she had let each one go, hoping the next one would be the right one.

And now? Now Casey Jones stood at Jane's door, checking her out. To her credit, Jane hadn't invited Casey in. And she didn't seem pleased to see him at all.

"You're looking well, Casey." Maura choked out, finally. "I trust your surgery went well?"

Casey looked over to Maura like he had forgotten she was there. The look he gave her clearly said that he wished she wasn't there. "Yes, actually. They were able to remove a considerable amount of shrapnel. I'm not at one hundred percent, but I've gained most of my mobility back. Months of physical and occupational therapy have also allowed me to regain other bodily functions as well."

As he said this, he looked directly at Jane. He didn't need to further clarify his insinuation. Both Jane and Maura understood.

Casey looked around Jane's apartment, taking in the boxes and the missing furniture. "Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm moving out." Jane said.

"You were moving and you weren't going to tell me where you were going?"

"Why would I do that?" Jane asked.

"Because surely you knew I was coming back for you." Casey said, as if Jane was some kind of an imbecile.

"Actually, I think one of the last things you said to me was that you were sure I'd find someone else to love. Then you walked out. To me that meant you weren't coming back."

"But I'm here now. I'm ready to be with you. I spent months of grueling therapy to get ready for you."

Maura looked from Jane to Casey and back to Jane again. _Tell him!_ Maura wanted to scream. _Tell him you're with me now. Tell him!_ Why wasn't she telling him? Maura felt herself start to choke up. This could not be happening. This had to be some kind of an awful dream. Any second now, she would wake up and Jane would be there beside her, tangled up in the sheets with her.

"Casey, it would have never worked out." Jane said.

"What do you mean? I got better for you."

"You should have gotten better for yourself, first of all. Secondly, and more importantly, I did find someone else to love while you were gone. Someone who was there all along, who has loved me for years. I hurt her in my pursuit of you, and yet she forgave me and still loves me."

"Her? She? What are you, a lesbian now?"

Maura flinched on Jane's behalf. She knew Jane was still sensitive to the label, even though she had gotten better about it.

Jane reached her arm out toward Maura, and Maura walked toward her. Jane could see how upset she was. Jane wrapped her arm around Maura's waist and kissed her temple. She could feel Maura trembling and it broke her heart.

"Are you okay, baby?" She whispered to her.

Maura gave a small nod. She wasn't okay, and Jane knew it. She didn't have to say anything, but Jane putting a protective arm around her certainly helped quite a bit.

"Maura? You're with Maura? What the hell, Jane?" Casey yelled.

"No, Casey, what the hell is with you? Do you actually think it's okay to come and go from people's lives like you have? It would never have worked out with us because even if you'd never dumped me to go have surgery, at some point I would have finally gotten over my fear and admitted to Maura that I loved her. I never loved you the way I love her. I don't think I ever loved you at all. I loved the idea of you."

"That's not true Jane-"

"Yes, yes it is true, Casey."

Casey looked from Maura to Jane and back again.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope, I'm not. I'm glad you're all right, Casey. Best wishes to you." Jane moved to close the door, but Casey stuck his hand out, preventing her from closing it.

"Jane, please."

"No, Casey. This conversation is over. Either remove yourself from my apartment or I'll have you removed."

"Is everything all right here, ma'am?" A rather large uniformed porter stood suddenly behind Casey with Jane's luggage.

"Yes, thank you. Is that my luggage?"

"Yes it is. Could you sign here, please?" The porter stepped between Jane and Casey and handed Jane her luggage and the clipboard he was holding.

Jane tipped the porter and motioned over his shoulder at Casey. "Thank you. Could you please take this excess baggage out to the curb?"

The porter smiled at Jane. "It would be my pleasure, ma'am." He turned to Casey as Jane closed the door. "You heard the lady, let's go."

Jane locked the door behind her and hugged Maura to her as tightly as she could.

"I'm so sorry, Maura. I had no idea he was going to show up here."

Jane could feel Maura trembling and was shocked to see tears streaming down her face when she finally let go of Jane.

"I really thought he was just going to sweep you off your feet and you were going to run off with him."

"Never, Maura. I realized how big of a mistake he was before I even got on a plane to find you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that he showed up here. I'm so sorry that I haven't made you feel secure enough in our relationship to know that I would never leave you. I'm so sorry."

Maura shook her head as she hugged Jane again. "No, I'm sorry. It was irrational of me. I don't know why I got so scared. I know you love me."

"Always and forever."

Jane kissed Maura tenderly and held her for a little while. "Let's load up some of these boxes and then go out for dinner. I've had about enough of this place for one day."

"Let's leave the boxes and go get bloody Marys."

"We did that the first time we hung out together outside of a crime scene."

"You remembered." Maura said.

"There's not a moment with you I could ever forget."

* * *

She watched Jane as she yelled at the television set, always amused that Jane could think her reaction to what she was seeing on the television screen could have an actual effect on the outcome of the game.

"What do you mean, a flag on that play?!" She screamed. "Are you blind? That man is blind!" She looked at Maura and gestured at the television set.

"They can't hear you, you know." Maura said, smiling.

"I know, but that was a crappy call."

"Maybe you missed your calling. Maybe you should have been an umpire."

"This is a football game, Maur. The guy I was yelling at was a referee."

"Oh, well then since you seem to know so much about it, maybe you should have been a referee."

"No way. I would have never met you that way."

Maura smiled at Jane.

"You're gorgeous when you're angry, you know."

"You're gorgeous all the time." Jane replied and gave Maura a peck on the cheek.

"Do you want another beer?" Maura asked.

"You're gorgeous and you bring me a beer. What more could I ask for?"

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, I'll have another beer, please."

"I'll be right back."

Maura grabbed Jane's empty beer bottle off the coaster in front of her and took it back to the kitchen. She took a cold beer out of the fridge and popped the cap off of it. She fingered the ring in her pocket. She didn't have to do this now, if she wasn't sure. But she was sure. She knew there was no better time than the present. In the weeks since Jane had moved in, Jane had been even more attentive to Maura, clearly upset by the way Maura had reacted to Casey's unannounced arrival at her apartment as she had moved out.

Today was the perfect day for this, she decided.

She walked back into the living room and put the beer down on Jane's coaster, then put the diamond ring on the coaster next to it. She sat down next to Jane and waited for Jane to notice. She was so engrossed in the game that she didn't even look down at the beer. Instead, she squeezed Maura's hand and waited for a break in play before she finally leaned over and picked up the beer.

The beer only made it three quarters of the way to Jane's mouth before she saw the ring and stopped short.

"Maura, there's a diamond ring on my coaster."

"I know."

Jane looked over at Maura's nervous face. "Do you like it?" She asked quietly.

"It's beautiful. Who is it for?"

"That's a silly question. It's for you."

"But that's an engagement ring."

"I know. If it's too soon, or if you don't want to, I'll understand-"

"Oh my god, Maura, of course I want to! So you're asking me to marry you? For real?"

Maura nodded, the lump in her throat almost too big to form words around. "Yes, will you marry me?"

"Maura! Yes! Yes, I will marry you. I will marry you right now if you wanted to go."

"You'd give up the end of the game for that?" Maura asked, smiling.

"I'd give up football completely."

"Lucky for you, I'm not asking you to do that. But would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Sometime? Maybe in the next year or so?"

"Yes, I will."

Jane picked up the ring and fingered it for a moment before Maura took it from her hands gently and slid it onto Jane's finger. "I love you." She whispered.

Jane looked down at her hand and back at Maura again. "I love you too. So much."

Maura leaned in to kiss Jane, and Jane stopped her.

"Uh-uh. Not like this. We're gonna celebrate the right way!" She jumped up, scooped Maura up in her arms, and carried her upstairs, where they "celebrated" for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

The late summer sunlight filtered through the window shades onto the bed. Jane was up first, a rare feat for her. It was still very early, but they had a big day ahead of them. She shivered in nervous anticipation. She kissed Maura and woke her gently.

"Baby, it's time to get up."

Maura opened her eyes and smiled at Jane. Every morning started the same way, one of them waking the other up with a kiss. The kissee smiling at the kisser. More mornings than not, that usually lead to more kissing, then eventual touching, then eventual lovemaking.

They both knew they didn't have time for that this morning, but there would be plenty of time for it later that night.

They showered and dressed casually, then had a nice, quiet breakfast. A hair stylist and a cosmetician came over and did their hair and makeup. Later on, they went out to the back yard. Angela was working with the decorators, telling them where to put the tent and how to arrange the seats under the tent. Frankie and Tommy were helping to carry in chairs, tables, and decorations. A set of workers were putting together a dais at the front of the yard.

A second tent was set up and Maurice was already hard at work getting chafing dishes out and ready.

"Today's the big day." Angela said to Jane, beaming at her.

"Yes it is."

"Are you nervous?"

"I thought I would be, but I'm not. I've never felt so ready for anything in my life."

"Is Maura nervous?" Angela asked.

"I think she's worried about getting everything perfect today, but I don't think she's nervous."

"That's good. Everything seems to be under control. You two should go in and get dressed. Let me know if she needs help with her gown."

"I'll help her with her gown." Jane said.

"You're not supposed to see her in her gown before the ceremony!" Angela admonished.

"I picked it out with her and watched her try it on after it was fitted!" Jane reminded her mother.

"Just call me if she needs help with her gown." Angela said and swatted at Jane's rear end as she walked over to go get Maura.

"Ma says we should go in and get dressed. She said to call her if you need help putting your gown on."

"I don't think it'll be that difficult to put on. It's not a very complicated garment. If I need help I'll just ask you." Maura said.

"Ma says I'm not supposed to see you in your gown before the ceremony."

"Oh don't be silly. I'm going to help you put your tux on, so why can't you help me with my gown?"

"I may not be able to keep my hands off of you." Jane said with a grin.

"Ah, maybe that's why Angela wants to help. You need to behave, Detective."

"I will, Doctor. I have all night tonight to ravish you."

"And three weeks on our honeymoon too." Maura reminded.

They went back inside and started to get dressed. Much to Angela's disappointment, they didn't want a big, lavish wedding. Instead,they chose to get married on the same August date they had made up in Madrid. It made sense, after all. They had officially started their relationship on that date, they might as well solidify it and make it permanent on the same date.

They decided to have a small ceremony in Maura's back yard with a justice of the peace. Maurice was catering the event, and later, after they flew to Italy, Eduardo would be their captain on their private yacht. The yacht was a present from Maura's parents. It would remain docked in Europe when they weren't using it. It was very clearly a way for the Isles to entice Maura and Jane back to Europe more often.

They would spend the next three weeks sailing and traveling through Europe on their honeymoon.

Jane had no problem putting on her white tuxedo. She waited patiently for Maura to step out of the bedroom in her gown. When she did, it took Jane's breath away.

"You look beautiful." They said at the same time.

Jane grinned and Maura blushed.

"Are you ready?" Jane asked.

"I am." Maura said, and they made their way downstairs and outside.

Jane proceeded right up to the justice of the peace. She couldn't stop smiling. Maura's father was walking her down the aisle.

Everyone stood up when the cellist started the wedding march. Jane looked out at everyone gathered there. Maura's parents and Henri. Her mother, Tommy with Lydia and TJ, Frankie, Frost, Korsak, Cavanaugh. Susie Chang and the rest of Maura's crime lab crew. Jane didn't bat an eyelash that her father wasn't there. He hadn't bothered to respond to the invitation, and Jane had worked out her hurt in the months after she'd sent it to him. Today was all about love and happiness. It was his loss if he didn't want to be there for it.

They were all here for the two of them. Jane's heart swelled with the love and the gratitude she felt toward all of them.

Maura's father kissed her cheek before letting her go.

"Thank you, Father." She heard Maura whisper.

He smiled at Maura and then at Jane. Maura turned to look at Jane and suddenly it was as if no one else was there with them. They held hands and never bothered to look at the justice of the peace. They were lost in each other, hearing what the justice of the peace was saying, but not really paying attention. They didn't need to hear him talk about marriage. They already loved, honored and cherished each other, and would for as long as they both shall live.

They said their vows, and kissed each other for the first time as a married couple.

The weather was perfect. There was dancing and way too much food. Everyone had a great time. People came up to Maura and Jane all night to wish them well and to offer advice on married life. They laughed it off privately. Korsak had lots of "don't do this" advice, and Jane's mother had lots of "make sure you do this" advice. Maura knew she had nothing to worry about. Life was only going to get better from this point forward.

Maura's hand never left Jane's for the entire reception. Jane would squeeze her hand every now and then, just to remind herself that this was all real.

Later that night, Jane made sure to carry Maura over the threshold and onto their marriage bed.

"I love you." She whispered to Maura.

"I love you." Maura whispered back.

And they lived happily ever after.


End file.
